Chapter 250: Human Traditional Skills

Senior Brother Xuan Du, along with several saint disciples from both the Chan and Jie sects, concluded their two-day-and-one-night sermon. They then dispelled the barrier in the area and went their separate ways.

It was evident that the immortals from both the Chan and Jie sects had a very positive experience listening to the Dao. The saint disciples from both sides seemed to have gained even more respect for Senior Brother Xuan Du.

As the saying goes, "There's no hierarchy in the Dao; the most accomplished is the master!"

Senior Brother Xuan Du's Dao, born from the natural and spontaneous path of the Grand Pure Dao, was extraordinarily profound and indescribable. Just a single phrase—'Act spontaneously within boundaries to achieve true freedom and perfection'—was enough to send a profoundly cultivated saint disciple like Guangchengzi into prolonged contemplation.

Senior Brother Xuan Du did not immediately return to Touzi Palace. He merely stated that he would reappear to meet Li Changshou after the grand ceremony was concluded, and then departed to an unknown location.

Leaving aside the matters of the three sects for a moment...

This time, the dragons were genuinely thrilled. The moment the dragon karma on Ao Yi dissipated, the dragons submerged in the endless abyss felt as if they had grasped a lifeline, seeing a ray of hope. That very day, they sent numerous gifts, and several dragon princes present lined up to introduce themselves and leave an impression on the Sea God.

How could the Sea God's command have only one Grand Commander? Surely, there should be at least a few Vice Commanders, Junior Generals, or Squadron Leaders, right? With Ao Yi successfully 'reaching the shore' as a prime example, the dragon race was collectively excited, truly eager to secure the strong backing of the South Sea Sea God!

For the dragon race, the South Sea Sea God—no, the title 'South Sea' should be omitted. For the dragon race, the Sea God was no longer merely a partner. To this end, the dragon race immediately prepared a large number of treasures, swiftly arranging their delivery. Among these gifts were several hundred recently chosen sea tribe beauties, brought directly from the South Sea Dragon Palace!

The dragon race's method of giving gifts was truly unique. They knew that as an important figure in the Human Sect and a crucial official in the Heavenly Court, Li Changshou certainly couldn't directly accept hundreds of beauties without damaging his reputation. So, they directly presented Li Changshou with a... sea-view mansion!

This mansion was situated on an immortal island along the South Sea coast, surrounded by water on all sides, and entirely crafted from crystal and jewels. The mansion comprised one main hall and four side halls. Inside, soft drapes, luxurious hot spring pools, luminous pearls, and glowing orbs filled the space. Any luxury item from the Primordial World that Li Changshou could imagine was present, making it utterly opulent! As for the hundreds of sea tribe beauties, they were merely maids provided with the mansion, and could even be replaced every thousand years!

Li Changshou was speechless. Indeed, it seemed the 'simplicity' of Little Qiong Peak had truly limited his imagination when it came to the pursuit of pleasure. What was the point of such a vast and luxurious dwelling? He, his junior sister, and his master couldn't even fully occupy it. It was far less comfortable and carefree than a few thatched huts by the lake.

If all these expensive items were exchanged for precious materials and refined into a top-grade defensive array, even if it only contained an earthen heated bed, Li Changshou might have gladly accepted it. And ideally, the mansion should also have the ability to expand and shrink, so he could pack it up and flee when critical moments arose.

Li Changshou politely declined the thank-you gift, but he did keep the precious materials and similar items. The idea of cashing it out was merely a joke; as a righteous god of the Heavenly Court, tasked by Heaven to patrol the Four Seas, he needed to maintain a certain image.

However, with the gift not fully accepted, the dragon race remained uneasy. Ao Yi was even asked to intercede, hoping Li Changshou would accept more benefits. In the end, Li Changshou could only promise that he would later choose a location within the Four Seas to build his own Sea God's dwelling, and he would notify the Dragon Palace in advance when the time came. Only then did the dragon race finally feel relieved.

However, no sooner had one matter settled than another arose.

In the dead of night, just before the Sea God Grand Ceremony was about to conclude, Li Changshou gazed at the back courtyard of the Sea God Temple, where numerous beautiful female malevolent spirits floated, lay, and stood. He almost spat out a mouthful of blood in shock. The dragons causing a stir was understandable, but what was the Underworld doing meddling in this chaos? Was someone spreading rumors that the Sea God was lustful?

Several Underworld experts of Wu Tribe origin rubbed their hands together, chuckling 'hehehe' incessantly before him. These malevolent spirits, too, had been carefully selected from the countless un-reincarnatable spirits residing in the Underworld. Each one was as beautiful as a flower, with long hair obscuring their faces and sleeves fluttering, exuding an exotic charm! Naturally, the emphasis was still on their beautiful faces and curvaceous figures.

Li Changshou smiled wryly, "Everyone, what is the meaning of this?"

Ox-Head, who had removed his mask, rubbed his large hands together. "Lord Sea God," he began, "it's our first meeting. We in the Underworld don't have many special products to offer. So, do you think these... are acceptable?"

"Are you perhaps seeking something?" Li Changshou said solemnly, "The Great Virtue Houtu created the Six Paths of Reincarnation. My master repeatedly mentioned this matter when I first began cultivating. If the Underworld faces any difficulties, please state them clearly to me. As long as it is within my power, I will certainly consider and act accordingly."

A Wu Tribe expert couldn't help but murmur softly: "Um, after 'as long as it's within my power,' isn't it usually 'I'll go all out'?"

No sooner had this person finished speaking than a fist the size of a clay pot flew in from the side, striking the fellow squarely in the abdomen. The speaker's coarse, large face instantly turned purplish-black, and a large hand covered his mouth from behind, preventing him from uttering even half a cry of pain as he was dragged behind the others. The other Wu Tribe members quickly forced smiles.

Li Changshou said calmly: "I always act pragmatically. If I cannot achieve something and make reckless promises, wouldn't I be giving others false hope for nothing? That would truly be an unwise act. Rather than speaking idly, it is better to first listen to the problem and carefully consider whether I can achieve it. Only then can I be considered responsible to everyone."

These Wu Tribe experts were momentarily stunned by his words, then suddenly understood. Their gazes at Li Changshou were filled with admiration. The Wu Tribe, in the history of the Primordial World, was known for having the lowest average resistance to being misled.

Ox-Head, seemingly 'soulless' without his mask, couldn't help but give Li Changshou a thumbs-up, chuckling: "Lord Sea God is indeed extraordinary," he said. "We actually don't have any particular request; it's just that seeing the dragons send beauties, we also wanted to express our goodwill."

He paused, then Ox-Head's eyes reddened, his lips trembled, and he spoke mournfully: "Lord Sea God, serving in the Underworld... it's truly difficult."

"Oh?" Li Changshou's brows furrowed deeply, and he quickly asked, "The Underworld is an administrative body established by the Heavenly Dao. Logically, it should also enjoy the merits of the Heavenly Dao. Has some unexpected change occurred?"

"So you knew about this," Ox-Head's expression instantly shifted, and he gave an awkward smile. "I was just complaining casually. Actually, serving in the Underworld is quite manageable."

Li Changshou was speechless.

"Lord Sea God, it's like this." Beside Ox-Head, a middle-aged man who appeared quite wise, voluntarily spoke: "We would like to ask Lord Sea God to help us with an idea. When we entered the Underworld, we swore an oath to the Heavenly Dao never to interfere with the Wu-Demon War, treating the true spirits of both the Wu and Demon races fairly in reincarnation. For this reason, our lineage, which followed Lady Houtu into the Underworld, quickly fell out with the other Wu tribes."

Ox-Head continued, "Later, when the Wu-Demon War ended, both our Wu Tribe and the Demon Tribe were losers. The Demon Tribe had a Saintess protecting them, leaving them a way out, but our Wu Tribe... Alas, we ended up struggling in the harsh, cold lands of North Continent. While it might seem better than the Demon Tribe's situation, in reality, it's about the same."

Li Changshou nodded slowly.

Then he heard Ox-Head curse, "And who knows who had such poor judgment as to give the Northern Continent Wu Tribe such a terrible idea! They even wanted to replace the human race with Wu-humans and insisted on supporting Chi You! As a result, Xuan Yuan (the Yellow Emperor) decisively defeated Chi You, and the Wu Tribe almost lost everything. Now, the situation of the Northern Continent Wu Tribe is likely even more dire!"

Li Changshou cleared his throat and said, "I am also of human origin."

"Uh, Lord Sea God, you're not from the sea? That's a bit..."

"Oh dear, how awkward..."

"Hahaha," Li Changshou chuckled heartily, having already formed a plan in his mind. It was clear that if he wanted to gain merit in the Underworld, he would first need to help the Northern Continent Wu Tribe resolve their survival challenges. Back then, the Wu Tribe and the human race were originally allies, jointly resisting the Demon Tribe. Later, it was indeed due to Chi You's conflict with Xuan Yuan that the Wu Tribe and the human race completely fell out. In this matter, he had to consider the interests of the human race; this was a fundamental principle he could not forget. He needed to be cautious and not agree carelessly.

Li Changshou said, "How about this: I will make a trip to North Continent within a century. Although I cannot help the Wu Tribe lift their restrictions or take them out of North Continent, I can try to help them improve their living conditions."

"Rea-really?"

"Naturally."

These Wu Tribe experts immediately broke into wide smiles, continuously expressing their gratitude. As Ox-Head and the others were about to leave, they deliberately feigned ignorance, not taking back the five hundred female malevolent spirits. Li Changshou, however, directly stopped them.

Malevolent spirits cannot reincarnate, primarily because their hearts hold unresolved resentment. Such spirits would wander in the Underworld, gradually exhausting their spiritual power until they returned to their true spirit state, at which point they could re-enter the Six Paths of Reincarnation. Li Changshou performed a good deed. In front of Ox-Head and the others, he recited the Daoist Scripture of Salvation and the Life-Summoning Incantation, resolving the resentment of these malevolent spirits. When these malevolent spirits transformed into normal souls, each one knelt before Li Changshou. He nodded, accepting their bow, which also severed any karmic ties. This was indeed merely a small effort, consuming only a tiny bit of immortal power and incurring no karmic entanglement.

After sending off the Underworld contingent, Li Changshou felt a little tired. He hadn't even had time to check out the closing ceremony of the Sea God Grand Ceremony when a faint buzzing sound entered his ear. Daoist Wen Jing, like a diligent little bee, arrived once more to deliver a message. This time, half of it was congratulations, and the other half was a confidential message.

According to Daoist Wen Jing, several saint disciples from the Western Sect, upon seeing the Sea God receive a divine position from the Heavenly Court and cleanse Ao Yi's karma using that position, had already understood that the Heavenly Court intended to claim a share of the dragons. At this moment, the Western Sect had changed its strategy, deciding to 'divide the dragons' and share the spoils with the Heavenly Court.

Upon hearing this news, Li Changshou truly felt a headache coming on. His most feared scenario had still come to pass. The Western Sect, unwilling to be used as a pawn, had promptly adjusted its major strategy. They chose to slowly contend with the Heavenly Court and the Human Sect later, aiming to divide the dragons, this 'dish,' among themselves. This approach would prevent the Western Sect's initial investment from being a complete loss, while also allowing them to avoid a direct confrontation with the Heavenly Court, which was supported by the Human Sect and protected by the Dao Ancestor. It could only be said that there were no mediocre talents within the major sects.

But it didn't matter; Li Changshou's efforts over the years had not been in vain. This strategy from the opposing side was well within his expectations. It simply meant that the pressure would increase later, and his own side would also need to make some adjustments.

After concluding the serious matters, Daoist Wen Jing added: "Congratulations, my lord, on officially becoming the God of the Four Seas. From now on, you will receive the Heavenly Dao's protection. This subordinate is truly envious."

Li Changshou lightly changed the topic: "Wen Jing, do you still wish to see Senior Brother Xuan Du at this moment?"

Daoist Wen Jing's buzzing sound trembled slightly. "Actually..." she began, "whether I see him or not, it doesn't really..."

"Then forget it," Li Changshou cut in.

"No! Don't forget it!" she quickly retorted.

Li Changshou immediately showed a slight smile upon hearing this. Daoist Wen Jing's true form might have been gnashing her teeth in frustration, but she merely said in a delicate voice: "My lord, please stop teasing your subordinate. This subordinate will rush over now..."

"Ah, your true form shouldn't move carelessly, lest you draw unwanted attention," Li Changshou advised. "This wisp of divine power will remain here later. Senior Brother Xuan Du will come to find me, and you will see him then."

Li Changshou said earnestly, "Once you leave the Western Sect in the future, I will personally introduce you formally."

"Thank you, my lord!"

In the cave dwelling at the foot of Spirit Mountain, Daoist Wen Jing immediately sat up, her breathing somewhat hurried, her expression filled with a hint of longing. Still, she patiently continued to wait.

By the way, what had Senior Brother Xuan Du been doing for most of the day since he left? Li Changshou felt a little puzzled, but Senior Brother Xuan Du was like a divine dragon, appearing and disappearing unpredictably, so his own wild guesses would surely yield no results. Looking at the blood mosquito on his shoulder, Li Changshou immediately chuckled to himself. This was, after all, a 'date' personally arranged by the Saint Lord. However, there would certainly be no romantic outcome between Senior Brother Xuan Du and Daoist Wen Jing; the two were simply too incompatible.

In the depths of the East Sea, on Three Immortals Island, within a pavilion. Two young maidens stealthily hid in the distance, pretending to listen intently. Qiong Xiao even held a conch-shaped magic treasure in her hand.

Inside the pavilion, Senior Brother Xuan Du was smiling with narrowed eyes, continuously recounting past events of the three sects. Yun Xiao listened quietly beside him, though she was unaware of the reason for this sudden visit from the Daoist Sect's Senior Disciple.

"Senior Brother Xuan Du," Yun Xiao said softly, "you are a busy man. If you have something to say, please speak directly."

"Well, haha, *cough*," Senior Brother Xuan Du raised a hand and coughed twice. "Junior Sister Yun Xiao, you have cultivated since ancient times. I wonder, have you ever considered taking a Dao companion?"

Yun Xiao couldn't help but chuckle upon hearing this, saying, "Are not those two junior sisters eavesdropping on us right over there my Dao companions?"

"The Dao companion I speak of is not this kind, but that kind," Senior Brother Xuan Du said seriously. "I, your elder brother, cultivate the natural Dao and can be said to understand its essence. Since Junior Sister Yun Xiao was born as a female, she also has the opportunity for such a Dao companion."

Yun Xiao's expression remained entirely unchanged, still as gentle as ever, yet seemingly keeping everyone at a thousand miles' distance. She said softly, "I have never had a Dao companion, nor have I ever entertained such thoughts. Senior Brother, have you come today to inquire about this?"

Senior Brother Xuan Du chuckled, "It's not exactly 'inquiring,' just asking around. It's good if you haven't, it's good. Also, Junior Sister, please don't misunderstand; this matter was not something I inquired about." As he spoke, Senior Brother Xuan Du took out a scroll from his sleeve. "Junior Sister, please look. Do you recognize the person in this painting?"

"The person in the painting?"

Yun Xiao was a little puzzled. She took the scroll and slowly opened it, only to see a handsome man painted within, with sword-like brows, starry eyes, and a smiling gaze. Moreover, this was not a mere painting, but a product of divine power that had imprinted a mental image.

"Although I don't recognize him, he looks somewhat familiar, as if I've seen him somewhere before."

"You have indeed just met him these past few days."

"This is..."

Yun Xiao's eyes brightened, and she couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle softly. Her usually somewhat aloof face gained a few lively expressions. "It's actually him? He always acts so old. It's truly as he said, he was afraid his original appearance would be exposed, making people think he was unreliable. What a huge difference!"

Senior Brother Xuan Du's mind stirred, keenly noticing the slight change that appeared in Yun Xiao's typically calm and unwavering state of mind. Could it be, there was actually a chance?