Chapter 138: Human Education's Second Major Support

Utterly dumbfounded, he shivered before the saint's image. How did it suddenly manifest?

Li Changshou’s lips twitched uncontrollably. He hadn't uttered a single word, not even breathed a whisper. He had merely offered incense and kowtowed to the ancestral master of the Dao lineage.

This wisp of Dao essence felt familiar, of course. Before, to invoke this very Dao essence, Uncle-Master Jiuwu cried, followed by Junior Sister Youdu. They even painstakingly revised their pleas, barely managing to make the portrait manifest.

But now... was it really that easy?

Li Changshou instantly grew alert. He remained prostrate, his heart overflowing with emotion. At last, he was recognizable to the Saint Lord! While his personal safety factor hadn't skyrocketed, his foundation was now many times stronger than before!

However, Li Changshou was puzzled by something: this wisp of Dao essence continued to envelop him, yet he heard no transmitted instructions nor gained any insights.

A moment later, the Dao essence persisted, but the portrait had settled back into its usual state. The two elders who had sensed the Dao essence moments earlier were now somewhat perplexed, having noticed nothing else amiss. As the two elders gazed at the three 'tall incense sticks,' the same thought occurred to them simultaneously: 'It must be due to the unique way the incense was offered.'

After another brief pause, only Li Changshou could still perceive the lingering Dao essence. However, the portrait showed no further anomalies, and the observing elders had lost interest. After all, Li Changshou's visits for incense offerings were not uncommon. Though Li Changshou was utterly bewildered and confused, he remained quietly prostrate, awaiting the Saint Lord's next instructions.

However, Li Changshou wasn't the only one left bewildered at that moment.

In the Nine Heavens, within the backyard of Doushuai Palace, beneath the familiar old tree, the wind today, while not boisterous, carried a peculiar scent. Ah, it was the Old Monarch's two young attendants attempting to refine spirit pills; it appeared this batch was doomed to fail once more.

Grand Master Xuandu, clad in dark mystical robes, sat cross-legged on a futon beneath the tree, his brow furrowed in concentration as he performed calculations. In the vision that arose in his mind, a young disciple was kneeling before his teacher's portrait, silent and still, simply kneeling.

This situation... His revered teacher, the Taiqing Saint Laozi, had naturally transferred this 'sensing' directly to him, using a divine ability that even Grand Master Xuandu himself could not comprehend. However, Grand Master Xuandu was quite perplexed. He calculated repeatedly, able to deduce only that this scene was unfolding at the Immortal Ascension Sect in Eastern Continent, the one that had narrowly escaped annihilation previously. He had no idea what this young disciple sought or why he was kneeling. Everything seemed peaceful within the Immortal Ascension Sect, with no major events occurring.

"If it's enough to alarm Master, it must be something significant..." Xuandu pondered for a moment, then began calculating the young disciple's past experiences and what had transpired. The result was...

"How intriguing. Has someone obscured the heavenly secrets on his behalf?" Xuandu raised an eyebrow. With a pull of his left hand from thin air, his fingertips flickered as if splashing ink, and a translucent image of the Taiji Diagram appeared, floating above his palm. Forming a sword-finger with his right hand, he lightly tapped the phantom Taiji Diagram. Xuandu then closed his eyes and focused, carefully deducing.

Soon, a flicker of understanding arose in Xuandu's mind. The individual he sensed was named Li Changshou, a young disciple of the Immortal Ascension Sect, barely two hundred years old.

"That's it?" Xuandu was somewhat taken aback. He carefully mulled over the information gleaned from the Taiji Diagram, then raised an eyebrow. He couldn't even discern the background of a minor disciple, despite using the power of the Taiji Diagram. This was truly unusual.

Xuandu continued his deductions for a while, and this time quickly confirmed that his Master had intervened earlier, concealing something on behalf of this young disciple. It seemed to have occurred quite recently. Intriguing. How many years had it been since Master last acted? Since the Human-Demon War, after the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, the human ancestors, retired to the Fire Cloud Cave, the six Saints had lived in seclusion, no longer manifesting before mortals. Now, Master would actually take the initiative to help a young disciple from a 'remote' Dao lineage conceal heavenly secrets... What exactly was the major event?

Grand Master Xuandu dared not ask his Master directly, as it often resulted in being confined, usually for a minimum of ten thousand years. Since the matter revolved around this young disciple, he would simply go and ask the disciple directly.

Xuandu slowly rose, his long robes rippling like flowing water, and a further insight dawned upon him: The Dragon Race's Ascension to Heaven.

—This was the hint from his Saint Master.

Xuandu immediately understood: the young disciple kneeling below was a pivotal figure in the Dragon Race's Ascension to Heaven! As for how and why the Dragon Race would ascend to Heaven, or what role this young disciple would play in the matter, Grand Master Xuandu remained unaware.

Grand Master Xuandu couldn't help but frown and mutter, "Master, couldn't you just transmit a message directly to your disciple? Having me gain insights in this manner makes me feel as if my own Dao is meaningless."

As he finished speaking, another flicker of insight arose in Xuandu's mind: Next time, for sure.

Xuandu... With a dejected sigh, Grand Master Xuandu took a step, and his form vanished from Doushuai Palace. Amidst the ethereal clouds of the Nine Heavens, his passage through the Heavenly Gate went unnoticed by all. In a few swift strides, this chief disciple of the Human Sect had traversed countless mountains and rivers. With a single glance, the Five Continents flashed past.

Moments later, Xuandu appeared directly above the Immortal Ascension Sect, standing atop its subtle and pervasive grand formation. Yet no one could perceive his presence. With a sweep of his immortal consciousness, Xuandu offered a faint smile. Aside from everything else, the Immortal Ascension Sect's practice of Dao companions was quite commendable; so many couples were paired within the sect. If they could increase their efforts and encourage more procreation, why would the Human Sect ever fear decline?

Xuandu pointed a finger at Shattered Heaven Peak, and his form quietly vanished once more, disturbing no one.

Hundred Mortal Hall, Shattered Heaven Peak.

Li Changshou, still prostrate, felt the Dao essence around him slowly dissipate. He first breathed a sigh of relief, then felt a pang of wistfulness. The Saint had given no instructions... Could it be a sign to boldly proceed with the Nanhai Divine Sect, implying a Saint's backing? Li Changshou swiftly discarded such a presumptuous notion. The Immortal Ascension Sect itself was founded by a named disciple of the Saint, and even their current Sect Master likely didn't receive such treatment from the Saint Lord. Especially the Saint, who was renowned for his tranquil inaction and non-interference in trivial affairs.

Should he kneel a bit longer? Yes, he decided to kneel a bit longer.

As he contemplated this, a clear voice transmitted a message directly into his ear: "Come three thousand *li* southwest of the Immortal Ascension Sect. We shall meet."

Li Changshou frowned, his immortal consciousness sweeping the surroundings before quickly retracting. He found nothing. He rose and glanced at the Saint's portrait, which exhibited no Dao essence fluctuations. Though perplexed, he decided to continue his worship there for a while longer. If the person transmitting the message was a master from the Human Sect, why would it be inconvenient for them to appear within the Immortal Ascension Sect? This raised some questions.

A moment later, the transmitted message came again: "Did you not hear my transmission just now? I am a teacher of the Human Sect. You are worshipping before my Master's portrait, so you must be facing a predicament. I came to see."

Li Changshou was startled but then grew suspicious. Such good fortune? He had merely burned three incense sticks before the Saint's portrait, without uttering a single word, yet it had alarmed the Saint, prompting the Saint's sole disciple to appear and meet him? While it was possible, it seemed even less credible than 'I am Xuandu, and I'm here to give you spirit stones!'

"Senior, how do you prove your identity?" Li Changshou murmured.

"Hmm?" Grand Master Xuandu was momentarily stunned. In all his years of cultivation, this was the first time he had encountered such a situation. 'How do I prove I am who I say I am?' This young disciple is truly amusing.

Xuandu pondered briefly, then transmitted another message to Li Changshou, this time directly reciting a few lines from the 'Scripture of Non-Action'. Then, changing his tone, Xuandu recited two more lines of scripture to Li Changshou, passages that, while stemming from the 'Scripture of Non-Action,' were even more profound. Seeing Li Changshou still appear skeptical, Grand Master Xuandu was both amused and exasperated. From a distance, he projected a wisp of his own Dao essence to Li Changshou. In exasperation, the Grand Master also transmitted four words: "The Dragon Race's Ascension."

Upon hearing this, Li Changshou instantly understood, finding a logical foothold. In truth, Li Changshou had already determined from that wisp of Dao essence that the other party possessed terrifying cultivation. If they wished to harm him, the Immortal Ascension Sect would likely be erased from the Eastern Divine Continent entirely. In the presence of such a figure, he currently had no room to maneuver.

Finally, Li Changshou rose from before the Saint's portrait. His expression remained neutral as he sought out a familiar elder to obtain a sect exit token, then turned and headed out of the hall.

After exiting Hundred Mortal Hall, Li Changshou muttered aloud, "Senior, should I summon my Sect Master?"

"No need, just come. If I intended to harm you, why would I have said so much?"

"Senior, please forgive me," Li Changshou murmured. "This disciple was slow to react. I'm on my way to meet you now." With that, he soared towards the mountain gate, used the jade token to exit smoothly, and leisurely flew several hundred *li* southwest.

Grand Master Xuandu did not press him further.

Li Changshou observed the 'Sensation Stone' for a while before landing in a forest. He then used an earth-遁 technique, swiftly traversing two thousand *li* underground. 'Should I send a paper effigy to test the waters first?' Li Changshou considered it, then quickly dismissed the thought. With a master of this caliber, whether it was Grand Master Xuandu or not, he couldn't afford to be deceptive. Sincerity for opportunity.

He repeatedly searched with his immortal consciousness but could not find a single trace of anyone. However, as Li Changshou emerged from the earth and flew towards the 'three thousand *li* mark,' he felt a sudden intuition. Glancing down, he saw a young Daoist in dark mystical robes in a river valley. The person sat by the stream with his sleeves rolled up, a fire burning before him, roasting a few fish with serene contentment.

At that instant, Li Changshou's heart largely settled. He slowly descended on his cloud, stopping ten *zhang* away, and offered a deep Daoist bow. "Li Changshou, disciple of the Immortal Ascension Sect, respectfully greets Senior!"

Grand Master Xuandu shook his head with a sigh. Holding his roasted fish, he said, "I've cultivated for quite some time, and I've genuinely never encountered such a verbose young disciple... Hmm?" Grand Master Xuandu seemed to have suddenly discovered something. He turned to stare at Li Changshou, then burst into a surprised laugh. "Your method of concealing your cultivation is quite clever. I didn't observe closely before, so I was mistaken. Your cultivation level... How are you still merely a young disciple? Why hasn't the Immortal Ascension Sect granted you an elder position?"

Li Changshou deliberated for a moment, then lowered his head and replied, "This disciple underwent tribulation only a few decades ago. During the process, I was fortunate to encounter a chance for ascension, thus achieving this level of cultivation. However, before my tribulation, I was just an ordinary disciple within the sect. Had I suddenly revealed this level of cultivation, I feared my fellow disciples would see me as an anomaly. Hence, I employed this method of concealment. It was not out of malicious intent, nor did I harbor any ill will towards my own Dao lineage."

Xuandu nodded slowly, stating, "These are minor matters. Come, sit down. The more formal you are, the less I appreciate it. Our Human Sect doesn't adhere to so many rules... However, I now somewhat understand why Master would have me speak with you. While ascendants exist, your particular manner of ascension is rare throughout history. You are truly a talent."

Li Changshou looked up with a smile, then carefully observed the young Daoist before him. His first impression was one of ordinariness; yet, upon closer inspection, he felt the Daoist before him was like a vast mountain, exuding no oppressive aura, and utterly impossible to see through. The Grand Master sat casually, holding a tree branch with a half-cooked roasted fish. Yet, he seemed to meld with nature, echoing heaven and earth, without a hint of disharmony. Only then did Li Changshou confirm that this was indeed the second most powerful figure in the Human Sect. Grand Master Xuandu!

"Why are you just standing there?"

"It's like a dream, seeing a master of your caliber for the first time."

Li Changshou slowly exhaled, took two steps forward, and sat before Xuandu. He extended his hand, offering, "Let this disciple grill."

"You're quite keen."

"It is only proper for a disciple to serve when an elder has a request."

Hearing this reply, Xuandu's eyes crinkled in a smile. He handed over the firewood, then stretched lazily. Xuandu seemed to recall something and casually remarked, "Oh, right, I once damaged your fate-matching clay figurine, which created a minor karmic connection between us. Have you taken the spirit pill I had Dao Brother Du'e give you last time? What were its effects?"

"I haven't taken it," Li Changshou chuckled. "This disciple's body is without ailment. I wished to save that spirit pill for my Master, who cultivates the Earth Immortal path. Senior... Master, may I presumptuously ask, can Turbid Immortals truly only cultivate to the True Immortal realm?"

"Yes, Turbid Immortals are inherently only of the Earth Immortal path, capable of reaching only the True Immortal realm," Xuandu nodded slowly. "You should... accept this fact and move on."

Li Changshou... A true conversational genius.

"Tell me, what difficulty are you facing?" Grand Master Xuandu looked at Li Changshou. "Since Master sent me to find you, I will naturally help you overcome your predicament. And what is your connection to the Dragon Race?"

Li Changshou's lips curled into a bitter smile. "Senior, do you know about the Nanhai Divine Sect?"

Xuandu calculated with his fingers. "I've heard of it recently. Word is spreading in the Heavenly Court that the Jade Emperor's junior uncle greatly praises this divine sect and intends to integrate its wild deities into the ranks of legitimate gods."

Li Changshou sighed. "This disciple is the Nanhai Divine Sect's... Cult Master."

"Oh?" Xuandu's eyes brightened. "If that's the case, you have my full attention! You're not even two hundred years old; how did you become the Cult Master of the Nanhai Divine Sect? I too once secretly established a divine sect, but it withered away in a few hundred years... Quick, tell me what happened!"