Chapter 285: Caring for the Harmonious Life of the Retired Emperor

"Senior, your junior, a disciple of the Human Teaching, currently serves as the Sea God of the Heavenly Court. By order of the Jade Emperor, I have come to Huoyun Cave to pay my respects to the human sages."

"A disciple of the Human Teaching, and the Sea God of the Heavenly Court? Cough!"

The burly man, who had been a bit informal just moments before, immediately sat up straight upon hearing this. Even though he was only wearing a straw cape, he exuded an air of authority without needing to appear angry. His squarish face, moreover, revealed a hint of regal dominance.

Li Changshou gazed at the burly man, and before his eyes, a majestic mountain seemed to slowly rise, standing tall above the vast marsh, its power commanding the heavens and earth!

Which retired Human Emperor could this be?

He then heard the man speak in a deep voice, "Do you have a token from the Heavenly Court?"

"Of course," said Li Changshou, who immediately took out His Majesty the Jade Emperor's personal letter, holding it carefully in his hand. Upon it, a golden-scaled dragon shadow slowly swam, and a wisp of profound Dao charm diffused from it.

The big-faced burly man slowly nodded and said, "Indeed, he is the Heavenly Emperor who governs the Three Realms in accordance with the Heavenly Dao." Changing his tone, he continued, "Since you claim to be a disciple of the Human Teaching, you must also be of human origin. Why have you come in a dharma body?"

"I wouldn't dare deceive you, Senior," Li Changshou sighed. "This disciple's true body does not dare to move freely in the Great Desolation, and currently, I only serve the Heavenly Court with a dharma body."

"Then how do you prove your identity? This is not a place you can trespass into just by picking up a random letter," the burly man said with a frown. "I don't mind, but if you disturb the peaceful cultivation of the seniors, how will you take responsibility?"

The seniors...

He seemed to have vaguely seen the appearance of this burly man on an ancient parchment scroll... A flash of inspiration crossed Li Changshou's mind, and he vaguely guessed the burly man's identity. He smiled and said, "Senior, could you be His Majesty Yu the Great, who opened mountains, controlled floods, brought prosperity to the common people, and established the Nine Provinces, leading the human race to great prosperity?"

The burly man's expression remained calm as he nodded indifferently. He said, "Here, I am the youngest in seniority and have the shallowest merit. Please don't call me 'Your Majesty' so casually. I am no longer the Human Emperor; I am merely an old man in a straw cape in the mountains."

Li Changshou smiled and cupped his hands, "This junior misspoke. Senior, you may test the power of this junior's Heavenly Court divine post."

As he spoke, Li Changshou's sleeves subtly fluttered, and the vast marsh beneath his feet first rippled in layers, then schools of fish gathered from all directions. Most of the fish here were spirit fish, their scales shimmering with colorful hues, swimming beneath the surface, dazzling the eye.

The burly man's eyes lit up. He casually picked up a fishing rod nearby. Li Changshou smiled and raised a hand, pointing. One by one, the spirit fish rushed towards the wooden boat, completely surrounding the burly man.

"Hahahaha! You, a Sea God, can even command the fish in the lake... *cough*!"

The burly man's mood immediately brightened, and his local accent resurfaced, but he quickly cleared his throat, and holding his fishing rod, calmly stated, "You, the Sea God, are quite impressive. However, this is a marshy lake, yet you can still exert your divine power here. How do you explain that?"

The retired Human Emperor's true nature felt quite amiable. Li Changshou pondered for a moment upon hearing this. With a thought, he quickly realized that this might be Emperor Yu testing him.

Immediately, he said gently, "Rivers gather rain and dew, and a hundred streams eventually flow into the sea. Although this junior's divine power can only be fully exerted in the sea, most waterways in the world are connected to the sea, allowing me to project my divine power here."

"A splendid saying: Rivers gather rain and dew, and a hundred streams eventually flow into the sea!" The burly man exclaimed in admiration. Seeing his fishing rod sink, he quickly pulled it up. A spirit fish broke through the water, was scooped up by the burly man, and placed into the fish basket beside him.

Then, the burly man let out a comfortable sigh, looking at the schools of spirit fish in the lake, and lightly waved his hand. Li Changshou's divine power dissipated, and the spirit fish each flicked their tails, quickly vanishing beneath the lake's surface...

The burly man's eyes narrowed in a smile. "As expected of a true Heavenly God, the Heavenly Emperor's most esteemed official in the Lingxiao Palace. That phrase, 'a hundred streams eventually flow into the sea,' resonates perfectly with my disposition. It truly shows your wisdom and strategy. Come, sit. I have been ordered to wait for you here, and I have three questions for you."

Li Changshou immediately became cautious. There was a 'professional' grandmaster of deduction and divination in Huoyun Cave, namely Fuxi, who might truly be able to foretell the future. It is rumored that Fuxi was the reincarnation of Saintess Nuwa's elder brother, who succeeded Sui Ren, leading the human race to gradually stabilize and slowly move towards prosperity. Throughout his life, Sui Ren led the human race in battling against the heavens and earth, struggling for survival between the Witches and the Demons. Fuxi, on the other hand, focused part of his energy on consolidating the human race's own destiny, enlightening them, and perfecting human cultivation methods...

The Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors of the Great Desolation, each at the end of ancient times, led the human race to rise step by step. Each Human Emperor specialized in a different area, and their contributions varied. Such a flourishing era did not come easily.

Li Changshou calmly rode his cloud forward, landing on the wooden boat, and sat at its stern. Yu the Great looked Li Changshou up and down, and smiled, "If you cannot answer these three questions, then leave the gifts and letters today and return on your own. The seniors probably won't see you." This implied that if he answered well, there might be opportunities to gain from the Human Emperors.

Li Changshou's expression immediately became serious. He cupped his hands and said solemnly, "Please present your questions, Emperor."

"First question: You are a highly esteemed minister of the Heavenly Emperor in the Heavenly Court, and you are also of human origin. If the Heavenly Emperor were to bring disaster upon the human race, how would you persuade him to retract his decree?"

Li Changshou pondered for a moment... Straight to the toughest question? No matter how he answered this question, it would be difficult to make it perfect, much like the dilemma of 'how to achieve both loyalty and righteousness.'

Emperor Yu narrowed his eyes, smiling, and quietly waited for Li Changshou's answer, without urging him. Li Changshou sat there, deep in thought for a long time, a myriad of ideas surfacing in his mind.

A moment later, Li Changshou said somewhat cautiously, "I would not persuade him."

A corner of Yu the Great's mouth twitched slightly. He playfully scolded, "I asked you how you would persuade him, yet you say you wouldn't. That's not answering the question!"

Li Changshou secretly praised him in his heart. Although this Human Emperor had retired, he was by no means muddled, and it was not so easy to lead him astray.

"Senior, this junior cannot persuade him, nor should I try to persuade him. Please allow this junior to explain in detail."

"Speak," Yu the Great chuckled. "No matter how eloquently you speak, if you cannot present a sound argument, you will not pass this test today. To be honest, when I was Human Emperor, I encountered many eloquent speakers. Don't try to use sophistry."

"This junior wouldn't dare," Li Changshou said with a smile, nodding, and began his explanation.

The answer to this question lies beyond the question itself.

The basic answer:The Heavenly Dao does not operate according to the will of the human race. Humans should learn to coexist harmoniously with heaven, earth, and nature, as humans are also a part of heaven and earth. Moreover, years of disaster and years of abundance are all predestined by heaven. Humans experience birth, aging, sickness, death, and sudden misfortunes or blessings. The Heavenly Dao maintains balance and should not be easily disturbed.

Furthermore, it can be extended slightly:Humans cannot decide whether natural disasters will descend, but they can resist them and overcome disasters through human effort.

Then, delving deeper into the core idea:The human race is currently the sole protagonist between heaven and earth. They should always remain vigilant, striving for self-improvement and independence, using natural disasters to temper themselves, and prevent being replaced as the protagonist by other races.

Finally, a concluding point, drawing on the philosophy of the Human Teaching:"Humans emulate heaven and earth; the Dao emulates nature. Nature is not always gentle; it also has cruelty and violence. The human race should learn to revere heaven and earth, to thrive indefinitely and remain the eternal protagonist."

A 'perfect score answer sheet for a retired Human Emperor's palace exam' was thus produced. One could even create a formula and insert other content into it.

As Li Changshou finished speaking, Yu the Great frowned deeply and let out a soft sigh. Seeing this, Li Changshou couldn't help but feel a little uneasy. He asked, "Senior, did this junior say anything inappropriate?"

"Not at all. Your answer was excellent, just a bit too standard, as if you had prepared the answer beforehand, making it difficult for me to comment." Yu the Great mused for a moment. "Consider this round passed. Second question: If one day the Heavenly Emperor wished to descend to the mortal world, to experience the myriad aspects of human life, would you obstruct him, or assist him? Just answer whether you'd obstruct or assist; no need for long explanations. My head hurts from listening already..."

Li Changshou paused, startled, upon hearing this. Then he said, "I would not interfere. This matter is the Heavenly Emperor's own wish, and it has no connection to me."

"Very good. Third question... Suppose your wife scolded you harshly over a small matter. Should you forgive her, or retaliate?"

*Of course, one should choose to forgive her!* Li Changshou almost blurted out the answer, but then realized that the question might not be so simple. The first question, seemingly about the Heavenly Emperor inflicting disasters, was actually about humanity and nature. The second question, seemingly about the relationship between the Heavenly Emperor and the human race, actually had a hidden implication: Fuxi, the great senior, must have calculated that His Majesty the Jade Emperor would descend to experience 'human' life. Otherwise, where would Yang Jian, the 'Jade Emperor's nephew' from the Investiture of the Gods war, have come from? The Jade Emperor must have undergone reincarnation and cultivation in the mortal world to have a sister to bring back to the Heavenly Court.

So this third question, seemingly a domestic matter about 'a husband being scolded harshly by his wife,' was actually asking about the internal conflicts within the human race, specifically the contradictions between matriarchal and patriarchal clans!

Li Changshou pondered for a moment, and said, "Retaliate, and one must retaliate."

"Oh?!" Emperor Yu's spirit was instantly roused, and his local accent resurfaced unconsciously, but he lowered his voice to ask, "Why are you so firm?"

"Since Saintess Nuwa created humans and the various sages established the matters of marriage, there should be equality between men and women. Men are strong and healthy, working more to provide food and clothing for the family, both male and female. Women nurture new life, are more meticulous, and also assist men in their labor. Both work together to raise children, which is why the human race can continue to multiply without end. If either side becomes too dominant, it will cause an imbalance of yin and yang. And if one family is unstable, all families will be unstable, leading to an unstable tribe and an imperiled race. Therefore, if one encounters unjust treatment, one should reasonably retaliate, to maintain the balance of yin and yang!"

Yu the Great's large eyes immediately gleamed with light. "Fellow Daoist, what you've said is the principle of the Great Dao! Indeed, husband and wife should respect each other. I was once the Human Emperor, governing the land of the Nine Provinces. How can I, after abdicating, be subjected to a woman's daily torrent of abuse!"

Li Changshou's paper avatar, that old immortal's expression, immediately stiffened. This Emperor... What's going on?

Yu the Great stood up, his physique sturdy and robust. He grabbed the somewhat slender arm of Li Changshou's paper avatar, and laughed, "Let's go! Fellow Daoist, come with me! Today, in your presence, I will have a proper talk with her!"

The retired Human Emperor's words suddenly stopped short, and cold sweat beaded on his forehead. Suddenly, the vast marsh, stretching for hundreds of miles, plunged into darkness. Li Changshou instinctively looked up, only to see a graceful figure standing silently a hundred zhang high in the sky, with her right hand extended towards the two men on the small boat below.

Yu the Great's burly body trembled, and he shouted loudly, "Wife, please don't act! We have a guest!"

"Hmph!"

A cold snort came from above the clouds. Li Changshou immediately felt the immortal power in his paper avatar cease to circulate, and Emperor Yu, before him, was instantly covered in a petrified hue. Before Li Changshou could react, he and Yu the Great had simultaneously transformed into two stone statues, their robes and treasure pouches included.

The graceful figure above the clouds then vanished, the heavens and earth returned to clarity, and the two men below shed tears of regret in their hearts...

A moment later, a gentle breeze swept past, and the water's surface rippled slightly. Half an hour later, two pairs of birds flew past, lingering for a while on the foreheads of Emperor Yu and Li Changshou, before spreading their wings and flying away.

"Uh..." Yu the Great's voice echoed in Li Changshou's mind. "Sea God, I apologize. I dragged you into this."

"Senior, was that..."

"That's my wife. I wronged her when I was controlling the floods, so I can't really get angry with her," Yu the Great coughed twice. "Her divine power will wear off on its own in three days. Sea God, are you in a hurry? If you are, I'll break us out."

"No hurry, no hurry."

Li Changshou's heart twitched. Fortunately, his mind was unrestrained. After an awkward chat with Yu the Great, he left only a portion of his consciousness there. At this moment, it was better not to interact much with Emperor Yu. This must have been one of Emperor Yu's most embarrassing moments.

Thus, Li Changshou's admiration for Senior Xuanyuan grew even deeper. However, on another note, it is rumored that Xuanyuan, the Yellow Emperor, was the reincarnation of the Great Black Tortoise of North Continent, possessing merit that supported the heavens, and all beings in the Great Desolation owed him a debt of karma. If it were anyone else, they surely would not be able to bear such fortune.

The second day of enduring hardship with Emperor Yu dawned clear and bright.

On Little Qiong Peak, Li Changshou was tending to a pill furnace, refining elixirs. Previously, when the treasure-hunting paper avatar group was searching for the whereabouts of the Copper Coin of Fallen Treasure in Central Divine Continent, their main objective was not achieved, but other minor goals were met. The 'Great Desolation Spirit Treasure Record' goes without saying; it held little practical value. Along the way, Li Changshou also collected some spiritual herbs and medicinal plants, and was now able to begin preparing to refine 'enlightenment' pills, to help Old Master Wan Linjun and his master break through their bottlenecks.

Since he had to constantly monitor the situation at Huoyun Cave, Li Changshou dared not divert his attention much, only daring to contemplate the Dao of alchemy here. Just as he was feeling bored, he suddenly sensed a faint surge of spiritual energy emanating from the card and chess room behind the mountain, as if someone had achieved a breakthrough...

Li Changshou's immortal sense immediately penetrated through layers of restrictions, and he saw Ling'e, her entire body radiating spiritual light. At this moment, translucent eight-and-a-half-petaled lotus flowers floated around Ling'e. Her graceful and alluring figure appeared even more captivating, and her cultivation was just a hair's breadth away from the ninth stage of Returning to the Dao.

Li Changshou, however, frowned slightly. The timing was still insufficient, her Dao foundation was not stable enough, and her own Dao was indistinct. Even with her making good use of the tribulation-crossing 'gift package,' her success rate for crossing the tribulation was only about ninety-seven point five percent. That grand gift package was far more powerful than what Li Changshou had prepared for himself back then.

"It seems a cultivation training camp is still necessary."

I don't expect you to ascend by crossing the tribulation...

But you must survive, Ling'e.