Chapter 298: Chang Geng Performs the Black Panther by Imperial Order

In front of the Gate of Immortal Ascension Sect, immortal light swirled and auspicious clouds spread everywhere. A beam of immortal light descended from high above, striking Ling'e. Ling'e stood quietly on an auspicious cloud shaped like a spiritual ganoderma, her left hand resting on her sword. While fairies danced and immortal elders offered congratulations around her, she gazed off into the depths of the sky, wondering what she saw.

'She must be comprehending the sublimation of her life realm,' Li Changshou thought. As various figures on clouds flew past him, his paper effigy quietly retreated. The immediate priority was to retrieve his main body and return to Little Qiong Peak. Wandering around injured was far too dangerous.

'Is this the realm of an immortal?' Ling'e wondered. She gazed into the void, observing the gateway of the Great Dao opening before her, but her young mind had already drifted elsewhere. 'Now that I'm an immortal,' she pondered, 'if Senior Brother and I have children in the future, will they also be immortals...?'

Senior Brother... children...

Oh dear, what am I thinking? How embarrassing!

Ling'e's pretty face flushed crimson, and a soft moan escaped her lips. A wisp of white smoke began to curl upwards from her head, rising gently from the immortal light. After becoming an immortal, the amount of steam she produced had clearly increased significantly.

Oh, where's Senior Brother?

Hearing her Grand-Master Jiang Lin'er's booming laughter approaching from afar, Ling'e temporarily put away her inner insights and turned on the cloud to look for him. Ling'e instinctively stood on tiptoes, but she only saw figures heading towards her. Whether she knew them well or not, whether they were close friends or mere acquaintances, none of these people were as important as the figure who had disappeared.

'Stupid Senior Brother...'

Not even a word of congratulations! Ling'e pouted indignantly, but then, recalling Senior Brother's continuous advice before and during her tribulation, she happily pursed her lips and chuckled.

Profound insights then surged into her mind. Ling'e's Dao heart was like a spiritual spring, from which unprecedented insights continuously welled up. The Great Dao vibrated with clarity, like a zither and lute playing in perfect harmony. With a thoughtful look in her beautiful eyes, Ling'e bowed slightly to the approaching relatives and fellow disciples. She then gathered her skirt, sat cross-legged, and a rich Dao aura appeared around her.

At that very moment, a question arose in Ling'e's mind.

'What is my Dao?'

From the moment she began cultivating until today, how she cultivated, the path she took, and the answers she received to any problems, all came from Senior Brother. Even the principles her master initially taught had later been refined by Senior Brother. So, was her own Dao merely an imitation of Senior Brother's?

Not entirely.

Senior Brother had said:'The Great Dao is self-generating; it moves without conscious spirit and flows without deliberate intention. One's own Dao originates from the heart, not born of heaven and earth, being both righteous and fundamental. Every living being has its own Dao, born from themselves. Senior Brother's guidance and the insights he imparted merely made the process of "comprehending the Great Dao and forming one's own Dao" as straightforward as possible.'

Now, having pushed open the mysterious door, the traces of the Dao lay right before her eyes. Ling'e's mind found complete peace. She accepted, comprehended, and felt, while thinking of Senior Brother's figure, and gradually sank into the Great Dao.

Behind Ling'e, seven-colored immortal light condensed into a book. The book slowly turned a page, emanating bursts of radiance. Heavenly flowers gently fell, and colorful clouds drifted.

"Don't go over there," Jiang Lin'er called out, "Ling'e is ascending; don't disturb her." Jiang Lin'er transmitted her voice to various places, and the extraordinary phenomena surrounding Ling'e at that moment also made the immortals of the Immortal Ascension Sect stop in their tracks, not daring to advance. Ultimately, Sect Master Ji Wuyou personally intervened, setting up a barrier of immortal power and sending Ling'e directly back to the Immortal Ascension Sect's main gate, and then to Little Qiong Peak.

Li Changshou, who had already retrieved his main body, then departed from Little Qiong Peak. He carefully moved Ling'e, who was deep in a 'Dao comprehension state', back to the lakeside cottage and activated numerous protective restrictions, allowing her to peacefully cultivate in seclusion.

The Nine-Layer Heavenly Tribulation was no minor event. The entire sect had been thoroughly stirred. Many peak masters and elders, accompanied by their most accomplished disciples, came to Little Qiong Peak to offer their congratulations. Li Changshou followed behind his Master Qi Yuan, who in turn followed behind Grand-Master Jiang Lin'er, as they continuously greeted and saw off guests. Little Qiong Peak was rarely so lively.

However, Li Changshou's full attention was not on the festivities. He multitasked; besides healing his own injuries, a portion of his consciousness was attached to a Golden Immortal-level paper effigy, secretly monitoring the demon couple. Because of this, the doubts and shock in Li Changshou's mind steadily grew.

What was the background of this leopard demon?

Perhaps due to his numerous encounters with heavenly retribution and his current status as a legitimate Heavenly Court deity, Li Changshou was now exceptionally sensitive to certain special Dao rhythms related to the Heavenly Dao. In particular, he had frequent contact with a certain enthusiastic Daoist friend named Hua, whose full name was unknown, and often sensed a hidden 'power of Heavenly Dao's protection' emanating from this friend.

When he first saw the black leopard, Li Changshou only felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity. But after secretly tracking it for a while, Li Changshou's heart jolted! He sensed a faint wisp of the Heavenly Dao's protection emanating from this black leopard!

A black-skinned leopard demon...Protected by the Heavenly Dao...Could it be that he had accidentally stumbled upon that extraordinary 'tide-rider of the Great Tribulation'? But if this were Shen Gongbao, the 'Son of Tribulation Luck' from the Investiture of the Gods calamity, why would he be here at this moment, accompanied by a demoness, running and frolicking in the fields? And where did his initial sense of familiarity come from?

What should he do...?

Li Changshou couldn't help but begin to carefully deliberate. He had already exited the Investiture of the Gods. The calamity no longer concerned him, and even if this black leopard truly was Shen Gongbao, there was no need to scheme against him. There was nothing to scheme about. With such significant karma involved, it would be best for him to keep his distance. To be safe, he should just pretend he hadn't seen the black leopard.

Li Changshou's paper effigy ceased its earth-burrowing technique underground. He observed the black leopard a few more times with his immortal consciousness, then turned to leave. Suddenly, it was as if a string in Li Changshou's heart had been gently plucked. The Dao emerged from the ethereal, revealing the true meaning of Wu Wei. This familiar obscure Dao aura, this familiar method of thought transmission, this familiar frequency of Great Dao vibrations... A single word solidified in Li Changshou's mind.

"Go."

Li Changshou's spirit was greatly stirred. He emerged from underground, performed a Daoist bow towards the sky, then turned and unhesitatingly pursued the black leopard.

The Saint Lord had given another command! This long-absent Dao aura of the Saint, this long-awaited command from the Saint! Finally, Li Changshou was certain that the Grand Pure Saint Lord was indeed paying attention to him, this humble Dharma Master, and his personal safety factor instantly skyrocketed!

However, considering his Saint had only given this single word, "go," what specific meaning did it carry? Li Changshou pondered carefully and soon gained insight. The Saint Lord was likely instructing him to carry out what he had previously intended to do, or perhaps to follow behind this black leopard and help him through certain misfortunes.

What had he wanted to do previously? It was merely to ascertain the black leopard's true identity. But now, with the Saint Lord's personal command, the black leopard's identity had already been corroborated. This individual must be Shen Bao, Shen Gongbao, the one from the Investiture of the Gods calamity who tirelessly, painstakingly, and repeatedly switched allegiances, all to ensure that more true Daoist masters would attain divine positions in the Heavenly Court!

Li Changshou deliberated for several hours, considering every angle. Finally, he decided to follow the spirit of the 'go' instruction and complete the few things he had intended to do after discovering the black leopard's Heavenly Dao protection.

It was now late night, with a bright moon, sparse stars, and wisps of mist and clouds. Li Changshou calculated the path the demon couple would likely take. His Golden Immortal-level paper effigy went ahead, leaving an older version of a paper effigy along the way. When the black leopard arrived at the spot with the young woman, Li Changshou's paper effigy transformed into a slightly plump old man. He emerged from a large tree, holding a whisk, and appeared within the black leopard's sight, a smile on his face.

"Fellow Daoist, please stay."

This was the first item on his agenda! To say "Fellow Daoist, please stay" to Shen Gongbao!

The black leopard hastily halted its rapid pace, nearly shaking his wife off his back. The demon couple reacted as if facing a formidable enemy. The young woman lightly leaped from the black leopard's back, gripping two daggers with a backhand grip, her pretty face slightly cold. The black leopard then stood upright on its hind legs and seamlessly transformed into a middle-aged man. Shielding the young woman behind him, he looked at Li Changshou with utmost vigilance.

At this moment, Li Changshou's paper effigy floated forward on a cloud, lightly shaking his whisk with a smile. "Fellow Daoists," he said, "Why are you two Daoists here, and where are you headed?"

The couple exchanged glances, a mix of surprise and uncertainty in their eyes. This old man of unfathomable cultivation... wasn't he going to kill them?

"Fe... Fellow Daoist," the black leopard demon said, cupping his hands, "My wife and I are merely passing through. We've harmed no one, nor do we covet treasures. We simply wish to travel south... to visit relatives."

Visit relatives?

Li Changshou narrowed his eyes slightly and chuckled, then asked, "And where do you come from? Do you have names?"

"We are both mountain and wild spirits who cultivated into human form," the black leopard replied, glancing at his wife with a touch of tenderness in his eyes. "My name is A'Bao, and she is Miaomiao. Esteemed Senior, might you let us pass this time? We truly aren't going to harm people in the Southern Continent; we simply wish to visit relatives."

The demoness leaned forward and held the black leopard demon's arm, snuggling up to his side as if no one else were present.

Li Changshou: ...

He was actually being shown public displays of affection by Shen Gongbao?!

A'Bao...

Was this truly the Saint's pawn who would stir up chaos among the Three Sects in the future? What exactly did his Saint Lord want him to meet him for? Regardless, he should establish a good connection with him first.

"Fellow Daoists, there's no need to be nervous. There is no karma on either of you, and I have no intention of eliminating demons. The only reason I appeared to meet you is that I feel I've seen you somewhere before; there's a sense of familiarity. Here, take these."

As he spoke, Li Changshou produced two storage magical artifacts, each containing two mid-grade immortal treasures and some spirit stones, and gently pushed them with immortal power towards the black leopard couple.

"This..."

A'Bao and his wife immediately exchanged bewildered glances, unsure whether to accept the magical artifacts floating before them.

"Husband," the water demoness Miaomiao gently tugged the black leopard demon's arm, "That person is gone."

The black leopard looked up; there was no longer anyone in sight. After a moment's hesitation, the black leopard demon picked up the two bracelets. Seeing the treasures and spirit stones inside, he was instantly thrilled.

"Wife, we have magical artifacts we can use now!"

"Hmm, is this also good karma from your previous life, husband?"

Previous life?

Hidden in the shadows, Li Changshou's eyes lit up as he quickly caught this keyword.

"As for that, I can't recall. I can only remember a few fragments of my past life," the black leopard demon sighed softly, his eyes filled with emotion. "But for this esteemed senior to treat me so kindly, and to say I look familiar to him... Ah, never mind. I just wish that good person a lifetime of peace!"

"Husband!" The water demoness Miaomiao quickly covered the black leopard's mouth, anxiously saying, "You just spoke!"

The black leopard froze, then belatedly realized his mistake, and slapped himself forcefully. "Oh, my mouth! How do I always forget this?!"

Underground, a question mark slowly appeared on the forehead of Li Changshou's paper effigy. What was going on?

At that very moment, Li Changshou's main body, healing in the underground secret chamber of Little Qiong Peak, suddenly spat out a mouthful of fresh blood. He stared in astonishment at the immortal power that had unexpectedly gone astray, utterly bewildered. Why would he suddenly spit blood? For years, he, a Human School disciple who had ingrained 'steadiness' into his very bones, had never made a single mistake while circulating his cultivation. He was already a Golden Immortal; why would such a basic problem suddenly arise?!

Subsequently, Li Changshou's paper effigy overheard the demoness's complaints.

"Oh, husband, your mouth should not be opened lightly! You said you'd stay with me until old age, and the very next day, a demoness showed up claiming to be your old flame. You said we would surely be safe, yet within three days, a powerful demon appeared at our door and forcibly occupied our cave dwelling... Sigh, you'd have been better off cursing that senior just now."

The black leopard sighed, "Wife, the divine ability of my mouth has no effect when used intentionally; it only works when spoken unintentionally."

Hearing this, Li Changshou began to understand. Truly worthy of being the Son of the Great Tribulation. That phrase, "Fellow Daoist, please stay," truly wasn't something just anyone could say to produce such a potent effect from this Lord Leopard's words...

However, Li Changshou didn't fully believe it and immediately began several 'experiments'. He orchestrated two small scenes ahead. The first scene involved two human Qi practitioners battling, evenly matched, but at the final moment, both sustained severe injuries and were unable to move. The black leopard couple witnessed this scene firsthand but merely bypassed it, not greedily stepping forward to finish them off. Instead, they chose to take a detour. Upon seeing this, Li Changshou immediately made these two paper effigies feign death, even intentionally exposing some treasures. The black leopard couple conferred for a few moments. Despite their reluctance, they quickly departed. Their strong inclination to preserve their lives alone earned them high regard from Li Changshou.

In the second scene, Li Changshou arranged for his paper effigies to transform into several human Qi practitioners who ambushed the black leopard couple and captured them directly. The black leopard, furious, cursed repeatedly. Meanwhile, the injuries Li Changshou's main body sustained from the heavenly retribution began to accelerate their recovery amidst these curses!

It actually worked?

Subsequently, a masked expert emanating demonic aura appeared, drove away the human Qi practitioners, rescued the black leopard couple, and gave them some elixirs. The black leopard, filled with gratitude, was about to offer a blessing when the water demoness timely interrupted his 'spellcasting' with a reminder. This time, Li Changshou keenly caught a faint trace of Dao rhythm circulating. The black leopard's innate talent could now almost be confirmed.

The Heavenly Dao's 'Poisonous Blessing'! An absolute 'Poisonous Blessing' from the Heavenly Dao!

Li Changshou pondered carefully; from every angle, he realized he absolutely had to keep his distance from this black leopard. Such a bizarre and unpredictable divine ability was impossible to guard against. It was best not to let the other party know his name, and to hide as far away as possible. With the Saint Lord's command, Li Changshou dared not leave so easily, so he continued to follow them in secret.

The black leopard and the water demoness Miaomiao journeyed, mostly avoiding trouble, through the territories of many immortal sects in the Eastern Continent. After another half a month, they finally arrived at their destination. It was a mountain forest located at the border of the Southern Continent, Eastern Continent, and Central Continent. Li Changshou now knew that the black leopard was here to find treasure—specifically, some 'legacies' left from his previous life.

The treasure hunt proceeded smoothly. In a valley at the center of the forest, the black leopard found a stone wall. After some fumbling, he activated a hidden stone door and entered with the water demoness Miaomiao. Li Changshou then heard the black leopard, upon finding a large quantity of spirit stones and magical artifacts, happily exclaim:

"Wife! We can cultivate peacefully here from now on! These spirit stones are enough for both of us to cultivate into Heavenly Immortals!"

However, no sooner had the black leopard's words fallen than Li Changshou's immortal consciousness detected several demon experts flying from the Southern Continent, chatting and laughing as they returned to the valley.

In the underground secret chamber of Little Qiong Peak, Li Changshou couldn't help but palm his forehead, secretly muttering a word of admiration. Then, a flash of inspiration struck him, and he suddenly thought of something—perhaps he could indeed make use of this Lord Leopard's 'golden mouth'...

The Heavenly Court: Purge Demons.