Chapter 196: Keep Quiet, Kiss the Goose

The blood-red sword descended with a shocking, icy gleam!

In that instant, Li Changshou’s mind raced over a dozen times, settling on the safest path for the overall situation. He reacted immediately, but it was merely a single palm strike that sent the dragon flying out of the main hall… The sword light relentlessly pursued the dragon, severing its neck and sending its head flying before the figure even hit the ground outside the entrance! Such sword light… To slay a dragon at the peak of the Heavenly Immortal realm was as effortless as slicing a watermelon. Li Changshou's heart secretly tensed; the cultivation realm of the hidden schemer was far beyond mere Golden Immortal!

Dragon blood splattered across the ground, and the corpse lay motionless in front of the hall. The head, almost indistinguishable from a human’s apart from the horns, rolled down the steps, its eyes glowing with an eerie light…

Li Changshou, controlling his paper effigy, swiftly walked out. Everyone, including Ao Yi’s divine sense, observed the old immortal in white robes throw out several emerald-green beads, followed by a burst of chanting. These were improved, long-lasting Soul-Capturing Beads; residual souls could be preserved within them for months or instantly erased. Several streaks of light entered the Soul-Capturing Beads—these were the residual souls of the dragon. It was unknown if any useful fragmented memories were contained within.

The Sea God Temple, both inside and out, fell silent for a moment before panicked screams of mortal women erupted, plunging the area into chaos.

“Sect Master,” Ao Yi quickly asked, “What was that just now…?”

“The other party is likely observing from the shadows,” Li Changshou replied. “Any dragon experts who appear next, if they weren’t summoned by you, remember to discreetly investigate them later.”

Ao Yi immediately nodded in agreement.

Then, Li Changshou mused for a moment and, for the sake of caution, gave Ao Yi a general outline of what might happen next. As if to perfectly align with Li Changshou’s words, no sooner had he finished speaking than dragon roars echoed from the sky; the skies over Anshui City dramatically shifted; dark clouds gathered, and lightning streaked across the heavens.

In front of the Sea God Temple, the mortals were already in a panic. The Sea God Temple’s divine envoys strenuously maintained order, organizing an orderly evacuation, even punching open the temple’s courtyard wall to prevent a stampede. This was part of the Sea God Temple’s Emergency Response Protocol, established long ago by Li Changshou.

—To incur karma due to preventable chaos would truly be too great a waste.

The dark clouds split open, and several azure dragons flew out, transforming into human forms. They landed in front of the main Sea God Temple: two men and one woman, all appearing middle-aged… One played the 'stern' role, shouting, “What’s happening here? Why has one of our dragon kin met such a tragic end in this place?!” The woman played the 'gentle' role, frowning as she said, “There must be other circumstances to this matter; we mustn’t jump to conclusions.” The third pretended to be objective and impartial, yet subtly steered the conversation: “To be fair, there shouldn't be such a powerful expert here. Could someone be scheming in the shadows? Nevertheless, since it ultimately occurred within the Sea God Temple, could the person in charge of the Sea God Temple please come forward and provide an explanation?”

Ao Yi listened, secretly seething with irritation. The situation was almost identical to what his Sect Master brother had just predicted! Li Changshou, however, merely curled his lips. He found their collective acting skills to be utterly subpar. They hadn’t even glanced at the corpse before jumping straight to demands… According to the theories presented in the anonymous *Self-Cultivation for Prehistoric Actors*, even if the opponent’s acting skills are terrible, one’s own performance should remain unaffected.

Thus, the old immortal paper effigy walked out with a smile, ready for a protracted negotiation. Had Li Changshou not prepared extra recording orbs and discreetly observed the entire incident with Ao Yi from the very beginning, they could have easily been manipulated today.

Li Changshou also intended to mentor Ao Yi. While debating with the three dragons and awaiting further developments, he asked Ao Yi: “Brother Yi, what have you learned from this?”

Ao Yi was so overwhelmed with anger that his 'anger bar' exploded, paradoxically making him calm down. The young dragon prince gave a few bitter laughs, a hint of loss on his refined face. “My Dragon Clan, without realizing it, has been infiltrated to this extent by the other side. These three dragons… they can all be killed.”

Li Changshou calmly stated, “Humans die for wealth, birds die for food—dragons are no different. Within the Dragon Clan, the hierarchy is rigid, with status determined solely by bloodline. Some lower-ranking dragons, even if they gain cultivation and treasures, possessing power, still don't receive their rightful position within the clan.”

“Sect Master, I’ve considered this too, but the Dragon Clan has become rigid, deeply entrenched and difficult to change.” Ao Yi sighed softly, a hint of melancholy in his eyes. “I once advised my father, the Dragon King, to reform the clan rules and empower capable and talented clansmen, but he merely lay on his throne with closed eyes, offering no reply.”

Li Changshou said, “Your father’s foresight is deeper than either yours or mine. You should reflect carefully and always think thrice before acting. Leaving that aside for now, how do you propose to handle this matter next?”

Ao Yi coldly declared, “Investigate! Uncover the forces behind these three dragons! We’ll get to the bottom of this!”

“Incorrect.”

“Sect Master,” Ao Yi wondered, “Are we not investigating?”

“Of course we’ll investigate, but not in such a reckless manner,” Li Changshou clarified. “Later, send a message to your father, advising him. Don’t mention anything else; just convey one word.”

“What word?”

“Stability.”

Ao Yi was immediately bewildered. Li Changshou sighed softly to himself, realizing he would have to spend more time explaining, patiently teaching Ao Yi how to prioritize stability and strategize. Currently, among the ‘magic treasures’—ahem, his friends—around him, the one who gave Li Changshou the most peace of mind was, relatively speaking… the 'stabilized' Martial Uncle Jiu Wu.

—Ling’e was not included in the ‘magic treasure’ category, as Li Changshou would never let her easily face danger.

Inside the alchemy room, one man and one dragon sat half a *zhang* apart, eyes closed, engaging in a continuous dialogue of questions and answers. In Anshui City, the chaos persisted, though fortunately, no mortals were harmed. Once the two experts summoned by Ao Yi arrived—an elderly man with a dragon’s head and an old turtle minister carrying a tortoise shell—they temporarily quelled the incident. They collected the corpse, offered a respectful bow of apology to the Sea God statue, retrieved two sound-and-image orbs and two recording orbs from Li Changshou’s paper effigy, and hastily departed…

After the dragon experts departed, the Sea God Temple, for once, enjoyed a rare quietness during the day. Xiong Buhan hollered, “Temple caretaker, come out and clean the floor! Give this dragon blood a thorough wash!” No sooner had he spoken than he heard his Sea God’s voice in his mind, meticulously instructing him on how to handle the aftermath… A brand new Sea God story—*The Sea God Temple's Plot to Slay the Lustful Dragon*—would soon circulate throughout Anshui City and quickly spread across the South Sea coastal regions. Calculations aside, the fundamental base of incense merit must not be affected.

In the alchemy room, Ao Yi moved to a corner, transmitting a message to the Dragon King and explaining the strategies Li Changshou had just imparted. Li Changshou, meanwhile, was deep in thought… According to the script he had arranged with the Dragon Clan’s core leadership, the conflict between the Dragon Clan and the Sea God Temple would escalate, causing the Sea God Temple to temporarily lose the Dragon Clan’s protection and thus reduce its external deterrent power. While the Western Sect’s attention was currently focused on the Dragon Clan, they still couldn’t be entirely disregarded.

Perhaps something intimidating would be in order. He had the Witch Tribe readily available. Li Changshou had observed that many of these Witch divine envoys possessed bloodline abilities, manifesting as a rainbow light expelled from their mouths, which would then transform into strong arms and legs. What if they formed a ‘Minor Twelve Capital Heavenly Gods and Fiends Array’? The key, of course, was to ensure it had ample presence. Then, he could have the divine envoys shout, one by one, ‘I’ll form the head!’, ‘I’ll form the left arm!’, ‘I’ll form the buttocks!’ The scene would surely be quite imposing… and quite amusing.

Dusk fell half a day after the dragon-slaying incident in Anshui City. Ao Yi had adjusted his mindset, done everything within his power, and thoroughly conveyed all the advice from his Sect Master brother to his father. Both parties were well aware: Today’s event was merely the beginning. Various incidents would follow, aiming to sow discord between the Sea God Temple and the Dragon Clan, thereby causing the Dragon Clan to lose the Human Sect’s support.

Noticing Ao Yi’s somber mood, Li Changshou suggested: “Let’s take a walk in the mountains and find a few spirit beasts to roast for them. It’ll make a nice dinner.”

Ao Yi managed a weak smile, following Li Changshou with a heavy heart. The two left the alchemy room and headed towards the spirit beast enclosure. Li Changshou steered the conversation towards the topic of Dao companions, and Ao Yi’s attention was quite easily… diverted.

As they set up their barbecue grill and began roasting meat in the woods, a wisp of song drifted over from the lakeside. ‘Not my thought, not my desire, but precious jade exists, for my beloved to return.’ It was the mermaid princess singing, her voice soft and melodious, seemingly able to soothe the sorrows of the heart, drawing listeners in unconsciously. Li Changshou, however, remained focused on roasting the meat, his mood unaffected by the song.

A short while later, laughter drifted on the breeze. Jiu Jiu's voice came through, “So, this is what you meant by ‘not very good at it’?” Xiong Lingli, ever direct, said, “I want to hear more! Could you sing another piece?” Jiang Si’er replied, “Please forgive my humble performance. Hmm, it would be even better with zither accompaniment.”

“A small matter,” Ling’e said with a calm smile, casually pointing to her side. Two paper effigies transformed into two women, producing a zither, a flute, and a drum. Before long, a harmonious melody emerged from the thatched cottage. The mermaid’s voice once again soared, blending with the instruments, slowly flowing across Xiaoqiong Peak. In the adjacent thatched cottage, Qi Yuan stood by the window, hands behind his back, his aged eyes reflecting a touch of emotion. Even disciples who happened to pass near Xiaoqiong Peak were drawn by the singing and music, pausing on the clouds to listen quietly.

Li Changshou, listening at that moment… was also quite moved. At last, Ling’e had developed a valuable skill. Even if she had to make a living in a market town, she could survive by busking. One spirit stone would surely buy at least three songs!

Moments later, the singing transitioned into laughter, and the figures who had paused outside Xiaoqiong Peak dispersed. Li Changshou and Ao Yi, levitating the prepared roasted meat with their immortal power, gracefully floated to the thatched cottage. The group then set up low tables by the lakeside and arranged the food and wine. Ling’e prepared a few more dishes, habitually cooking two snakehead fish: one braised, one boiled. But as Ling’e served the dishes, she suddenly realized… the merfolk were also… However, Ling’e had worried needlessly. Jiang Si’er ate the two spirit fish with the most delight, showering Ling’e’s cooking with unreserved praise.

The evening meal, filled with laughter and merriment, stretched late into the night. Jiu Jiu enthusiastically suggested some of Xiaoqiong Peak’s traditional pastimes, bringing out the ‘Great God Bouts,’ ‘Immortal Life Simulation,’ and ‘Bean Soldier Battles,’ which left Ao Yi and Jiang Si’er, the soon-to-be couple, utterly captivated…

After three days of joyful feasting, Ao Yi and Jiang Si’er reluctantly bid farewell. For Ao Yi, this was no time for carefree indulgence; the Dragon Clan faced grave difficulties, and as their second prince, he could not afford to idle away here. He had initially planned to leave after half a day, so three days of enjoyment had already made Ao Yi restless.

Before Ao Yi departed, Li Changshou handed him several vibrant brocade pouches. These were proper strategy pouches this time; Li Changshou instructed Ao Yi on precisely when to open each color-coded pouch, as they contained contingency plans. The strategies within these pouches were designed to guide the Dragon Clan toward seeking assistance from the Jade Emperor of the Heavenly Court.

Ling’e and Jiang Si’er had indeed grown close. Before the gates of the Immortal Ascension Sect, the two young women reluctantly parted ways. Jiang Si’er looked back every few steps, while Ling’e continued to wave.

Ling’e suddenly asked, “Senior Brother, shouldn’t we give them some return gifts?”

“Don’t worry,” Li Changshou said, a profound smile playing on his lips, “They’re all prepared.” Just as Jiang Si’er had gifted Ling’e with ‘Past Life Tears,’ Li Changshou had given Ao Yi ‘Poisonous Dragon Wine’ and ‘Ambition Pills.’ The former seemed to have no effect, but the latter… As a product of Xiaoqiong Peak’s integrity, the medicinal effects were, naturally, guaranteed.

Once Ao Yi’s dragon carriage vanished into the horizon, Li Changshou, accompanied by Ling’e, offered a respectful bow to the gate-keeping immortal, then ascended on a cloud to return to Xiaoqiong Peak.

The moment they returned to the peak, Ling’e ducked her head, attempting to slip away, but Li Changshou transmitted a question to her: “Do you still want to try those ‘Past Life Tears’ again?”

Ling’e froze instantly, then turned her head and giggled sheepishly. “I just… um, Senior Brother, you definitely wouldn’t fall for it… I just… *giggle*, please don’t be angry, Senior Brother…”

“Don’t worry, I won’t punish you this time.”

Ling’e’s small face instantly paled…

This time, Li Changshou, uncharacteristically, spoke softly and slowly: “These ‘Past Life Tears’ have no effect on me, but they could help Martial Ancestor fulfill her wish. Here’s a communication jade slip for you. It can reach Martial Ancestor; you can tell her about the ‘Past Life Tears’ and ask if she wishes to use them.” He paused, looking down at the person in front of him. He couldn’t help but sigh softly, then raised a hand to gently tap her forehead. “Always thinking about such trivialities. Can’t you focus that energy on cultivation instead? Do you know that your current cultivation conditions are no worse than any other disciple’s in the sect?”

Ling’e covered her forehead and bit her lip, looking pitifully at Li Changshou, twirling a wisp of dark hair around her finger. Her voice was barely a whisper, like a mosquito’s buzz: “Senior Brother, I will work hard on my cultivation… It’s just that for so many years, you haven’t given me a definite answer, and I feel uncertain…”

Li Changshou nodded calmly, then casually pointed behind Ling’e. Simulated spiritual energy quickly coalesced into a barrier. He suddenly stepped forward. Ling’e instinctively recoiled half a step, gently bumping into the barrier’s shimmering wall, instantly looking bewildered and flustered.

“Se…”

Li Changshou raised his left arm, sweeping it past Ling’e’s ear to rest against the luminous wall. He then dropped his usual disguise that concealed his aura and subtly altered his features, activated his charm aura, and lowered his head, gazing intently at Ling’e. His right hand reached out, fingers gently lifting Ling’e’s smooth, small chin.

“…nior…”

“Don’t speak.”

Li Changshou slowly lowered his head… Then came a frantic thumping—Ling’e’s face flushed crimson, her eyes wide with panic, and her breathing became shallow, consisting only of exhales. Li Changshou’s movements were actually quite slow. Just as he was about to draw close, Ling’e suddenly pulled in her neck, ducked beneath his arm, and darted away. Covering her face, she sprinted toward her thatched cottage, leaving a trail of white smoke above her head. Next, a splash was heard, followed by a series of gurgling bubbles rising from water—she must have jumped straight into the bathing tub.

Li Changshou curled his lips, shook his head slightly, then casually dispelled the barrier and calmly ascended on a cloud, heading for the alchemy room.

See? Just like that…

(End of Chapter)