Chapter 260: Selected Tribulation Crossing Locations (Part Two)

“I wonder how Uncle-Master’s reincarnated self is doing.”

At Little Qiong Peak, in the lakeside thatched cottage, Ling'e, dressed in plain white cultivation attire, opened her eyes from her meditation cushion, feeling a little dazed. More than a month had passed since her Senior Brother and Uncle-Master went to the Netherworld, and there had been no news since.

Ling'e naturally wasn't worried that her Senior Brother and Uncle-Master would suddenly elope or anything. After all, only her Senior Brother's paper effigy had gone out; his true body should be hiding somewhere in the pill chamber.

No, that's not right… From the perspective of "If I can think of it, how could Senior Brother not have thought of it?", it's possible Senior Brother's true body isn't in the pill chamber!

Everything is an illusion and a mystery!

"Hehe," Ling'e's lips subtly curved upwards, feeling a strange sense of small triumph.

Just then, a faint voice reached her ears.

"Come to the pill chamber; there are a few things I need to tell you."

"Oh, okay," Ling'e's confident demeanor instantly softened. She whispered, "Senior Brother, I'm coming right away. I just finished my cultivation."

"Hm," Li Changshou responded, and the wisp of immortal sense disappeared.

Ling'e breathed a sigh of relief and stood up from her meditation cushion. Even in her loose cultivation attire, her slender figure was undeniable. She first checked her appearance at the dressing table, then, in front of the mirror, used a wooden comb to hold down the treasure pouch containing her Senior Brother's paper effigy. Only then did she go behind the screen, change into a long dress she usually favored, and flew on a cloud towards the pill chamber.

As soon as she saw her Senior Brother, Ling'e felt that something was off with him today.

She quickly asked, "Senior Brother, has Uncle-Master Jiu run into trouble?"

Li Changshou smiled, "No, don't worry. Uncle-Master and my effigy are already on their way back and will arrive at the mountain gate in half an hour. Uncle-Master is about to break through to the Heavenly Immortal realm, which is why she was delayed outside for some time. The reincarnated form of Uncle-Master Huanjiangyu has also been arranged. Her breakthrough isn't completely finished yet, so she'll enter seclusion to consolidate her realm once she's back. You can also cultivate peacefully during this time."

Ling'e blinked, then softly asked, "Senior Brother... what's wrong?"

Li Changshou looked at the young girl before him, seeing the unease and apprehension in her autumn eyes, and said gently:

"There's something I need to do that involves a risk. The probability of success is over ninety percent, so you don't need to worry about it. However, just to be safe, I'm entrusting a few things to you, in case my return is delayed..."

Ling'e bit her lip slightly, her worry deepening. "Senior Brother, if there's danger, wouldn't it be better not to do it?"

Li Changshou smiled, "Ling'e, do you know that our Human School has a master named Grand-Master Xuandu?"

Ling'e blinked, unsure why her Senior Brother was mentioning this, but quickly replied: "Of course I know that! He's the Human School Saint's only disciple, one of the few masters below the Saint realm, and also known as the Dao Sect's Senior Disciple Brother..."

"This time, I'll be acting together with Grand-Master Xuandu." Li Changshou stated, "Although there's still a certain degree of danger involved, with Grand-Master Xuandu by my side, the risk isn't too high. I called you here to give you some instructions simply as a precaution. I might be away for some time, and I'm afraid I'll miss your tribulation to become an immortal. You don't need to overthink it."

Ling'e breathed a slight sigh of relief, the worry in her eyes largely dissipating.

Li Changshou's words, naturally, were not meant to deceive her. However, transcending tribulations ultimately depended on oneself. No matter how powerful Grand-Master Xuandu was, he couldn't help withstand a heavenly tribulation. Hmm, judging by common sense, it was unlikely. Furthermore, Li Changshou was concerned that after successfully passing his tribulation, there might be an ascension-like event. If he couldn't arrange his affairs at home properly, he would be distracted at that crucial time.

Li Changshou flipped his hand and produced two brocade boxes, saying gravely: "These two boxes contain items prepared for your tribulation. Inside each box are two treasure pouches, and within each of those, dozens more treasure pouches, along with detailed instructions for use. After you reach the seventh stage of the Return-to-Dao Realm, if I haven't returned, open these two boxes yourself and prepare for your tribulation."

Dozens... Ling'e took the two brocade boxes, unable to resist muttering a couple of complaints. Had her Senior Brother prepared these tribulation items as if every single one of her heavenly tribulations would be the Purple Heaven Divine Lightning?

Looking at the characters "Ping" (peace) and "An" (safety) carved onto the brocade boxes with immortal power, Ling'e felt both happy and incredibly warm inside. She hugged the two boxes to her chest and whispered: "Thank you, Senior Brother."

"Hm," Li Changshou nodded with a smile, "Remember, this matter must not be taken lightly."

Ling'e's small face was filled with solemnity, and she nodded in agreement several times.

After Ling'e returned to the lakeside thatched cottage, Li Changshou called Xiong Lingli and temporarily entrusted the spirit beast enclosure, the spirit trees, and the immortal bean cultivation base to her. When Li Changshou underwent his tribulation and sought enlightenment, he wanted to be completely focused and could not afford any distractions.

Subsequently, once the paper effigy and Jiu Jiu returned to the sect, he escorted Jiu Jiu back to Potian Peak for her seclusion. Meanwhile, the paper effigy took the opportunity to visit Uncle-Master Jiu Wu. Upon returning from Potian Peak, Li Changshou put away the paper effigy, and his true body went to pay respects to his master, then sat for a while with Elder Wan Linjun. He had no further lingering worries in his heart.

Li Changshou employed his old trick again: his true body used a transformation spell to slip into a hollow space behind one paper effigy, then had that effigy picked up by another paper effigy and placed inside its sleeve. If he were to encounter a powerful enemy before meeting Grand-Master Xuandu, he would have a good chance of escaping. Afterward, Li Changshou quietly went underground and left the Immortal Du Sect via a one-way earth vein teleportation array, heading towards the tribulation site he had previously chosen.

When he underwent his tribulation to become an Immortal, Li Changshou chose a location at the edge of the mortal world. His primary consideration was that if he encountered enemy interference before or after the tribulation, he could directly hide within the mortal world. Additionally, qi refiners were relatively sparse at the edge of the mortal world.

However, for this Golden Immortal tribulation, with Grand-Master Xuandu assisting him as a protector, the external safety index was higher. Moreover, the Golden Immortal tribulation's power was unpredictable, so he couldn't go to the edge of the mortal world again, to avoid affecting mortals and increasing karma. Therefore, he found a relatively remote location within East Win Continent.

This place was sixty thousand *li* northwest of the Immortal Du Sect, relatively barren, with no spirit veins. Consequently, there were no immortal sects within ten thousand *li*, only a vast expanse of continuous desolate mountains where some minor demons resided. It was an excellent site for tribulation.

Ten years ago, Li Changshou had arranged for his paper effigies to secretly begin preparations here, and he had also thoroughly investigated the demon tribes in the area. The closest to his chosen desolate mountain for tribulation was a den of black panthers several hundred *li* away; the strongest among them had not yet transformed, posing no threat to him.

Once his true body arrived, Li Changshou began his final arrangements and preparations before the tribulation. He first went to the peak next to this desolate mountain. In a dense forest, he unearthed a 'Mage Birdcage' that he had refined using numerous precious materials. An enlarged and reinforced version! He moved this ten-zhang-tall birdcage to the summit of the peak and connected it to the earth's ley lines. If he were about to be unable to withstand his tribulation, he could very likely use this item to weaken the power of a lightning tribulation strike. However, the Golden Immortal tribulation wasn't solely lightning tribulation; heavenly tribulations evolved through the Five Elements, so the effect of this item would be limited.

Then, Li Changshou dispersed some paper effigies, keeping them outside the range of the heavenly tribulation, to wait quietly at the edge of the projected tribulation site. This was one of Li Changshou's important trump cards for this tribulation — the paper effigy 'immortal power power bank'! During a tribulation, the judicious use of immortal power was key to increasing the success rate. Many qi refiners couldn't endure heavenly tribulations because they expended too much magical and immortal power on the initial strikes, leaving them powerless when facing the true trials later on.

To maintain ample immortal power, qi refiners usually chose to constantly 'replenish their qi' with spirit elixirs that rapidly restored immortal and magical power. Li Changshou had naturally prepared such elixirs, and different types at that, which could be used in combination during the tribulation to quickly replenish his own consumption. In addition to consuming elixirs, during the intervals of the heavenly tribulation, he would have paper effigies inject immortal power of the same origin into his true body, ensuring as much as possible that he wouldn't face a situation of insufficient immortal power, fully utilizing the potential of the 'Paper-Man Transformation' divine ability.

Li Changshou also deployed some paper effigies carrying immortal beans, burying various trigger-activated miniature arrays in different locations. Given that his last tribulation required two attempts, Li Changshou had already arranged for paper effigies to set up slightly lesser-scale preparations at a second tribulation site three thousand *li* away, and a third site six thousand *li* away.

If he could safely pass this tribulation, he would have to thank the spirit trees on Little Qiong Peak for their selfless dedication! And, of course, thank the old friend from the Dragon Palace for the financial support. To face his Golden Immortal tribulation, Li Changshou had truly staked everything he had. What use were treasures if the person was gone?

Subsequently, Li Changshou began to remove the small trinkets he always wore on his true body and temporarily erased the arcane Witch Tribe symbols inscribed on himself. After the Saint had personally helped conceal his origins, these 'anti-deduction' treasures of his had actually lost their meaning. But Li Changshou didn't feel completely at ease just because of the Saint's protection; in case the Saint's methods ever failed, he would still have a backup. It was always safer to keep one's life in one's own hands. Given the lesson from last time, it was better to remove these items before the tribulation, to avoid another blunder like last time, when the Heavenly Dao, in its energy-saving mode, casually sent down an immortal tribulation that almost made him undergo 'amputation and ascension'. Ugh, unbearable to recall, unbearable to recall.

Li Changshou busied himself for half a day, ensuring all preparatory work was securely arranged. But when the appointed time arrived, Grand-Master Xuandu still had not appeared. Where had Grand-Master Xuandu gone now? No need to rush and urge him. The Golden Immortal tribulation wasn't immediately pressing, so Li Changshou left himself some buffer time.

Counting back, he had already self-severed his Dao Realm eight times. The method of self-severing the Dao Realm had almost completely lost its effect, but not entirely. If his heavenly tribulation arrived and Grand-Master Xuandu still hadn't, then he would self-sever his Dao Realm for the ninth time. This would delay it by one to two hours, allowing his effigy in the Heavenly Courts to rush to Tushita Palace for aid. Thus, everything was ready, just awaiting Grand-Master Xuandu.

Li Changshou gently exhaled, took out the heavenly tribulation thank-you speech he had prepared earlier, and began reviewing it word by word.

Grand-Master Xuandu was not intentionally late; he had already left Tushita Palace before the appointed time with Li Changshou; but as he was leaving the Heavenly Courts, he suddenly thought of something, took a turn, and first headed to the East Sea.

Grand-Master Xuandu actually attached considerable importance to Li Changshou's tribulation. It should be said that, after the ancient times, the single thing Grand-Master Xuandu cared about most was Li Changshou's Golden Immortal tribulation. This was related to whether he could retire early from Tushita Palace and the frequency with which his master would dispatch him in the future. Moreover, in Grand-Master Xuandu's view, Li Changshou, this junior, was very amiable. Even without these considerations, he would be happy to lend a hand.

Therefore, before going to find Li Changshou, Grand-Master Xuandu floated to the East Sea, arrived at the Three Immortals Island, waited for a moment, and then met with Junior Sister Yunxiao.

A certain eavesdropping duo quickly got to work.

When Yunxiao went out to meet Grand-Master Xuandu, she sighed softly in her heart. Ever since she was schemed against by Senior Brother Xuandu last time, disturbing her state of mind, certain thoughts had been constantly stirring within her during this period. Yunxiao also knew this was due to her cultivating for too long and her Dao Heart suddenly being disturbed. She simply needed to go into seclusion for ten thousand years to suppress this disturbance. When Grand-Master Xuandu came this time, Yunxiao had initially been unwilling to meet him again, but after a moment's consideration, she still walked out of her warm chamber.

"Senior Brother Xuandu, is there another important matter?"

Grand-Master Xuandu said gravely, "This time, I would like to ask for Junior Sister Yunxiao's help and borrow your Hunyuan Golden Dou for a while."

Fairy Yunxiao was a little surprised and chuckled, "Senior Brother Xuandu has numerous treasures from Great Uncle-Master for protection. How could you still need my Hunyuan Golden Dou?"

Grand-Master Xuandu said, "If I were to engage in a magical duel with someone, even though I can only borrow partial power from a few of Master's supreme treasures, it would be enough to handle various situations. But this time, I need to protect someone, and nothing but Junior Sister's Golden Dou will suffice."

Hearing Grand-Master Xuandu's words, Yunxiao grew even more curious. "Senior Brother, could you explain in more detail? The Taiji Diagram and the Xuanhuang Pagoda are both supreme protective treasures, far surpassing my Golden Dou."

Grand-Master Xuandu pondered for a few moments, then said: "To be frank, this time I wish for Junior Sister to join me in assisting a disciple with his tribulation. Although the Taiji Diagram and Xuanhuang Pagoda are powerful, using their power would only be to forcibly resist or disperse the heavenly tribulation. A heavenly tribulation is both a trial from the Heavenly Dao for the one undergoing it and an opportunity. If we were to use such supreme treasures to protect this person, it would also hinder his cultivation.

"But Junior Sister's Hunyuan Golden Dou is different. When the Golden Dou is reversed, it can refine beings drawn into it; when rotated normally, it can heal and replenish the vitality of beings within it. Moreover, the Golden Dou can isolate heaven and earth, sever the Five Elements, and also delay the timing of a heavenly tribulation's descent. That's why I wanted to ask Junior Sister for your help, to come with me on this trip."

As he spoke, Grand-Master Xuandu produced two jade bottles and smiled, "These contain the Nine-Revolving Golden Elixir and the Nine-Revolving Jade Bright Elixir, refined by Lord Laozi. Consider them a token of thanks for your assistance this time."

Yunxiao hummed softly a few times, her gaze not lingering on the elixirs. She simply said: "Senior Brother, it's not that I'm unwilling to help. It's generally better not to interfere too much with a cultivator's tribulation. Isn't 'following nature and acting without deliberate effort' precisely the principle of the Grand Pure One?"

"Following nature, yes, but not necessarily following heavenly destiny; the Grand Pure One's non-action does not mean inaction in all matters." Grand-Master Xuandu smiled, "This disciple is quite important to our Human School. If Master didn't approve of my doing this, he would have warned me before I even reached the Three Immortals Island."

Yunxiao frowned slightly. Even though Grand-Master Xuandu had invoked the Saint's name, she was still reluctant to accumulate more karma.

But... Grand-Master Xuandu then delivered his trump card: "The one undergoing the tribulation is the Sea God."

"Then, Senior Brother, please wait. I'll go give a few instructions to my two sisters, and then I'll accompany you. It's about time I repaid my karmic debt to Fellow Daoist Sea God."