Chapter 238: Shou Zhiji's Small Tricks

Li Changshou truly couldn't recognize this fellow without his head covering; it turned out he was the renowned Difu figure, Niu Tou.

If anyone were to ask who this "Niu Tou" is, ancient poems praise him like this:

In Difu, there's Yan Qingtian, impartial and discerning loyalty from treachery.The judges and yin chai come to assist,With Niu Tou and Ma Mian standing beside.

The "Niu Tou" and "Ma Mian" mentioned in the poem are the famous soul-guiding messengers of Difu, their notoriety on par with the Black and White Impermanence. In Li Changshou's vague memories from his past life, there was even a noodle shop near his childhood home called "Niu Tou Ma," and its flavors were quite delicious!

That said, it was surprising that these legendary Niu Tou and Ma Mian, both Wu Zu experts, would simply don head coverings and charge into action. The Wu Zu certainly had their unique ways.

As Li Changshou reflected on this, he didn't forget to keep an eye on the current situation. Things had escalated to the point of flexing muscles and sharpening blades, with the Difu yin chai acting arrogantly and deliberately provocative, while Wangqing Shangren was being stubbornly unyielding.

For a minor yin chai like this, a bit of polite flattery would make them feel respected and less likely to cause trouble. Moreover, Li Changshou's group had come to Difu through connections and backdoors, which could be seen as interfering with the normal operation of the six paths of reincarnation—they weren't exactly in the right.

Just as a fight seemed imminent, the Difu lightweight expert Niu Tou appeared, making Ji Wuyou more cautious...

Ji Wuyou immediately transmitted a message to the four behind him:"Be careful. This creature is no ordinary foe. If we can avoid conflict, let's do so."

Youqin Xuanya frowned slightly, feeling that Ji Wuyou's stance was inconsistent.Li Changshou, however, smiled inwardly. It was great that Ji Wuyou understood the principle of going with the flow.

Ahem, for disciples of Renjiao, was that really "going with the flow"?It was more like flowing with goodness.

Niu Tou then said,"Is it you lot causing trouble here?"

Ji Wuyou sheathed his long sword behind his back and replied calmly,"Daoist friend, we are not here to stir up trouble. We simply wished to head to Fengdu, but this general from Difu behind you has deliberately obstructed and harassed us."

Niu Tou adjusted his head covering, making his head appear more harmonious and natural, with an expressive face on it. He turned to glance at the sallow-faced yin chai leader behind him and frowned."Why are you blocking them for no reason?Just take some treasures from them and let them pass.How else will our brothers get their gifts?"

The five from Duxian Sect: ...

The yin chai leader quickly explained,"Marshal, it's not that I meant to block them. They spoke arrogantly and provoked us on purpose!"

Ji Wuyou shot back,"We provoked you? Then why do you let others go freely but single out our path?"

Li Changshou silently gave his sect leader a thumbs-up in his mind. Ji Wuyou was so skilled at sidestepping the main issue and shifting the narrative—it was clear he had plenty of life experience, making him perfect for errands at Tushita Palace! Once Li Changshou's position in Renjiao was secure, he would definitely recommend him to the Grand Pure One.

The soul-guiding messenger Niu Tou looked at his subordinate, then at Ji Wuyou. Though a bit conflicted, he ultimately sided with his own people..."Alright, you five, turn back the way you came.I won't ask about this today, and I won't hold it against you.Difu is a place for the reincarnation of souls, under the protection of the Heavenly Dao. It's not for just anyone to cause chaos."

Upon hearing Niu Tou's words, Ji Wuyou frowned deeply, and Jiang Lin'er grew anxious.Li Changshou sighed inwardly—it seemed he would have to step in and persuade them after all...

"Esteemed Marshal!"Youqin Xuanya suddenly spoke up firmly. "Are you making this decision without even asking about the cause?"

Niu Tou snorted and clasped his hands behind his back."Difu isn't a place just anyone can enter."

As Youqin Xuanya was about to say more, a hand extended from the side, gesturing to stop her.She turned and met Li Changshou's gaze.Li Changshou shook his head with a smile and transmitted:"Youqin Shimei, when handling affairs, you must consider not only our side but also the face of both parties.Let me try this. You should put away your treasures."

Youqin Xuanya fell silent, nodding gently as the flying swords around her returned to their sheath, reforming into a single great sword.

Li Changshou stepped forward two paces on the gray cloud, bowed, and said,"Shizun, Shizu, Shibo, may I attempt to ask this soul-guiding marshal for a path to Fengdu City?"

—First and foremost, he had to maintain the dignity of his own experts.Ji Wuyou hesitated, worried about any mishap befriending Li Changshou. After all, he was Duxian Sect's treasure and the private disciple of the Grand Pure One!Ahem, unspeakable, unspeakable...Wangqing Shangren frowned at Li Changshou, his gaze both concerned and stern, fearing he might say something wrong and invite trouble.But Jiang Lin'er eagerly interjected,"Changshou, it's all up to you now."

"Yes, Shizu."Li Changshou performed a standard daoist bow, then smiled and flew toward Niu Tou and the group of yin chai soldiers on his cloud.He flew slowly, his smile sincere,But for some reason, from the soul-guiding messenger Niu Tou to the other insignificant yin chai, an inexplicable urge to retreat washed over them...

Before Niu Tou could speak, Li Changshou bowed again."This junior, a disciple of Renjiao and Duxian Sect, Li Changshou, greets Senior Niu Tou."

"Hmm?" Niu Tou blinked in surprise. "You're from... Renjiao? The Renjiao under the Saint?"

"Senior jests—under the heavens, no one would dare falsely claim the Saint's lineage."

Li Changshou nodded with a smile, subtly releasing a trace of his dao rhythm. Niu Tou's eyes lit up.He didn't recognize the rhythm, but it felt profound.Li Changshou continued, "With so many people around, Senior, could we speak privately for a moment?"

"Why step aside?" Niu Tou was puzzled. "Just say what you need to."

Li Changshou reached into his sleeve and produced a dark red stone.The soul-guiding messenger's expression changed instantly—becoming serious, sharp, and vigilant, a stark contrast to his earlier carefree demeanor.He cupped his hands and gestured invitingly."Please, let's talk over here."

Li Changshou and Niu Tou stepped aside together, walking about twenty zhang away, leaving the two groups craning their necks in curiosity...

Under the puzzled, shocked, and bewildered gazes of the Difu yin chai and the Duxian Sect four, Niu Tou tapped the ground with a steel fork, enveloping the two in a blood-red barrier.Even Ji Wuyou, at the Golden Immortal realm, couldn't hear their conversation...

Youqin Xuanya blinked and couldn't help but chuckle bitterly.How was she supposed to learn this?

After about half a shichen, Niu Tou dispersed the barrier, sighed lightly, and bowed to Li Changshou, who returned the gesture.Niu Tou handed over a wooden plaque engraved with a simple Niu Tou design, imbued with a faint aura and dao rhythm.He said seriously, "If you encounter any trouble in Fengdu City, just show this plaque. No one of ordinary rank will dare bother you."

"Thank you for your care, Senior."

"No, no—it's I who should thank you."

Niu Tou sighed but said no more. The two exchanged gestures of courtesy and returned to their respective groups.The soul-guiding messenger called out,"What's everyone standing around for? Make way!These are our esteemed guests in Difu! Have you all got an itch for trouble?"

As he spoke, Niu Tou glared at the sallow-faced yin chai leader.The leader's face paled, and his legs began to tremble...Li Changshou, on his side, bowed to Ji Wuyou, Jiang Lin'er, and Wangqing Shangren, then calmly returned to Youqin Xuanya's side.Mission accomplished.

The Difu yin chai cleared a wide path, and Ji Wuyou smiled as he led the four through the checkpoint.Although Ji Wuyou, like Jiang Lin'er, Wangqing Shangren, and Youqin Xuanya, was completely baffled by what had happened, he knew better than to pry into Li Changshou's affairs.After all, it involved "that," so nothing was too extraordinary.

As soon as the five from Duxian Sect departed, the soul-guiding messenger Niu Tou snorted through his nostrils, exhaling two puffs of white smoke. Without a word, he turned and kicked the yin chai leader to the ground!The kick wasn't too forceful—it just knocked him down—before Niu Tou pounced and delivered a flurry of punches and kicks.After a barrage of rugged Wu Zu curses...Niu Tou removed his head covering, spat at the cowering leader on the ground, and scolded,"You bastard!Daring to throw your weight around and make enemies for Difu! Are we having good days, and you're just uncomfortable?You idiot! Blocking someone from Renjiao? How drunk on power are you?"

The bruised and swollen yin chai leader begged for mercy repeatedly. Niu Tou huffed, stretched his muscles, and put his head covering back on.The covering was a treasure that quickly merged with his body, hiding any flaws except for a slight color difference.Niu Tou thought for a moment and said,"Get a few who can write and jot down some polite words. When these five leave later, hang them up as an apology!"

"Marshal, what should we write?"

"Hmm... Just some courteous phrases, like 'Difu welcomes you' or 'The underworld is our home.' Anything like that."

The group of yin chai quickly caught on and busied themselves.

Meanwhile, on the cloud where the five had just flown away, Jiang Lin'er was glaring at Li Changshou."Changshou, how did you manage that?"

Since Li Changshou had dared to act, he had already prepared his explanation—and even three different versions.He took out the stone he had shown Niu Tou and said with a smile,"Shizu, this is something my cousin Lingli gave me before we left.Lingli has half Wu Zu bloodline, one of the rare Wu people in the Honghuang world. This stone is called Wu Xue Shi, a credential of the Wu Zu.On the way here, Shizun mentioned that most Difu experts are of Wu Zu origin. So, I thought I'd give it a try and added a few clever words..."

Of course, the stone wasn't from Xiong Lingli—it was something Li Changshou had picked up from a stone pile used for tent weights in Xiong Village...

Jiang Lin'er furrowed her brows. "You make it sound so simple, but it's not that easy!"

Ji Wuyou laughed. "No need to question Changshou further. Getting through is what matters."

Jiang Lin'er paused, then nodded obediently.As she looked at Li Changshou, this enigmatic grand-disciple of hers seemed shrouded in even more layers of mystery.Her second disciple must have taken in such a student—probably the reincarnation of some great power.

What had Li Changshou said to Niu Tou?Not much, really. He started by briefly mentioning his cousin relationship with Xiong Lingli, then shifted the topic..."Senior, have you heard of the South Sea Sea God?"The rest of the conversation mostly revolved around his "Sea God" friend.He subtly highlighted the Sea God's connections to Renjiao, Heavenly Court, and the Dragon Clan, explained how the Sea God had formed ties with the Wu people, and the benefits he had brought them...Li Changshou spoke with hidden implications, suggesting the Sea God was interested in improving the Wu Zu's situation and vaguely indicating that he, Li Changshou, could persuade the Sea God to visit Difu...

With a few simple tactics, Niu Tou began treating Li Changshou as an honored guest and looked forward to the Sea God's future visit.This was a strategy that killed multiple birds with one stone.It eased the tension between Duxian Sect's group and their opponents, resolved the conflict, and opened the path to Fengdu.It also earned them some favor from Difu forces, making it easier to search for Wan Jiangyu Shibo later.Most importantly, this chat with Niu Tou laid solid groundwork for Li Changshou's future plans in Heavenly Court, including schemes for Difu's merit...

Nowadays, the Wu Zu had only two remnants: one eternally guarding Difu, with no ties to the rest of the Wu Zu, having sworn not to interfere; the other, the pure Wu Zu, exiled to the harsh lands of Beiju Luzhou, struggling in isolation and forbidden from leaving.The Difu Wu Zu wanting to help those in Beiju Luzhou was a key insight Li Changshou gained from his talk with Niu Tou, and he decided to go with the flow and address it directly...

After flying for a while, Li Changshou remembered something. He glanced at Youqin Xuanya, who was lost in thought gazing at the sky, and transmitted:"Youqin Shimei, whenever possible, it's better to talk things out than fight—it's more reliable."

"Mm, Shixiong, I'll remember that."

Youqin Xuanya smiled gently, though with a hint of helplessness.Li Changshou was like a thick book; every time she thought she'd glimpsed part of it, she realized it was just the preface, with countless pages still ahead...

With the soul-guiding messenger's plaque, searching for Wan Jiangyu's true spirit became much simpler.Fengdu City was grand and bustling, and under Jiang Lin'er's lead, the five headed straight to a yin si office upon entering, where they met the clerk.The clerk recognized Jiang Lin'er and immediately presented over a dozen treasure pouches, saying he couldn't handle the matter anymore—Wan Jiangyu's reincarnated true spirit was truly lost.

Jiang Lin'er's eyes reddened as she pleaded with the clerk to try again, but he just shook his head.Seeing this, Li Changshou directly produced Niu Tou's plaque. The clerk trembled and quickly invited the five inside to rest, then summoned his superior for a thorough investigation.The result was the same...The person was gone.

Just as Jiang Lin'er was on the verge of despair, Li Changshou frowned and asked,"Could you kindly tell us where this true spirit was reincarnated? Since it's a tree spirit, it likely wouldn't stray far from its origin."

The clerk, with his two mustache ends and a shrewd appearance, hesitated..."This might not follow the rules..."

Li Changshou, taking the initiative, retrieved the dozen or so treasure pouches from Jiang Lin'er, added two of his own, and placed them before the clerk with a smile."We certainly won't put you in a difficult spot. It's just that we might accidentally glimpse your records—nothing you intentionally revealed."

"In that case..."

The clerk pondered for a moment. Li Changshou had already slipped the pouches into the clerk's sleeve and subtly withdrew his hand.The clerk nodded and sighed,"It's not entirely impossible. You follow me, and the others wait here."