Chapter 312: Sea God, Are You Short of Female Disciples?

On his way back to the Sea God's Residence after leaving the Lingxiao Palace, Li Changshou squinted with a smile. He felt quite good about having used his public position for personal gain this time. No, wait, how could something that benefits both public and private interests be called using one's public position for personal gain?

Looking at the 'Great Yu's Water Control Map' shimmering with golden light in his sleeve, Li Changshou immediately felt at ease. It directly saved him a large amount of merit power! This treasure, after a little refining, could become a top-tier acquired merit spirit treasure, excellent for both offense and defense! Moreover, Li Changshou calculated that once he completed the survey of rivers, lakes, and seas, the Heavenly Dao would bestow more merit, potentially upgrading this treasure further! That's why, when he left the Lingxiao Palace earlier, seeing the Jade Emperor's touched and emotional gaze, Li Changshou felt a bit... embarrassed.

The twelve-year Dragon Recruitment Plan had been fully launched, and Li Changshou had already made all the necessary arrangements. He wouldn't personally handle everything from now on. After visiting the Chan and Jie Sects and greeting the East Sea Dragon King at the Dragon Palace, he would then take a boat, funded by public expense, to tour Nanzhou while waiting for the Peach Banquet to begin. Whether this plan was the most effective was debatable. But for Li Changshou, it was the safest option, one that allowed him to avoid offending either side.

Back at the Sea God's Residence, Li Changshou placed the Demon-Slaying Sword of the Heavenly Emperor in the most prominent position in the main hall and bowed respectfully. Afterward, he moved a rocking chair, basked in the Heavenly Court's sun, and waited for Dong Mugong to deliver the peaches. Heavenly generals brought tea, and Yaochi fairies presented a fruit platter bestowed by the Queen Mother. Li Changshou leisurely enjoyed himself like this. Although his paper avatar didn't fully experience the taste, he still had to keep up appearances. If he didn't have so many paper avatars and his true body was in this position, life in the Heavenly Court would probably be incredibly leisurely, comfortable, and yet monotonous.

Speaking of the Queen Mother, Li Changshou had never seen her true form since ascending to heaven. In fact, Li Changshou had deliberately avoided visiting her. Avoiding suspicion? That wasn't necessary. Li Changshou wasn't confident enough to believe that his aged, rickety paper avatar could lead to any misunderstandings. On normal days, he didn't even interact with female immortals; at most, he would chat and joke with the heavenly generals.

The reason he didn't visit the Queen Mother was his concern about potential conflicts between the Jade Emperor and the Queen Mother regarding 'Heavenly Court authority.' The Queen Mother and the Jade Emperor had similar origins; the Dao Ancestor had entrusted both of them with governing the Heavenly Court. Nominally, the Queen Mother's authority was not beneath the Jade Emperor's. Currently, Li Changshou couldn't figure out the exact relationship between the Jade Emperor and the Queen Mother, but the Heavenly Court's power was concentrated in the Jade Emperor's hands, with the Queen Mother merely cultivating in the Jade Pond. Therefore, actively visiting the Queen Mother risked being misunderstood by the Jade Emperor, whereas not visiting her would incur no loss for him. Between the two, he chose the path of least risk, emphasizing stability above all else.

These thoughts flashed through his mind, and Li Changshou chuckled softly. His old immortal paper avatar closed its eyes, resting. In the wind, he heard whispers from beyond the wall, the rhythmic footsteps of patrolling heavenly soldiers, and the soft laughter of fairies from some distant immortal mountain. The sounds entered his ears but did not touch his heart.

Visiting the administrators of the Chan and Jie Sects essentially meant seeking out Guang Chengzi and Duobao Daoist. The Jie Sect would be easy to visit, but the Chan Sect also had Deputy Sect Master Randeng, so he needed to prepare in advance to avoid being troubled by him. Li Changshou had previously heard from Dong Mugong that because the Heavenly Court's previous Peach Banquets had few guests, there was a severe surplus of peaches in the Jade Pond's treasury. Many peaches would dissipate into spiritual energy after a thousand years, leading to significant waste. Therefore, the Heavenly Court should not be stingy when sending gifts to the Chan and Jie Sects this time.

'How should I subtly hint to His Majesty that I also want some peaches?' Although the peaches weren't of much personal use to him, they would certainly greatly benefit his master, junior sister, martial uncles, martial grandmothers, and quasi-mistresses. When his junior sister ascended after emerging from seclusion, bringing some peaches back to celebrate would be quite fitting.

As he was thinking this, Li Changshou multi-tasked, keeping a small part of his mind in the Heavenly Court's Sea God's Residence and returning the greater part to his true body. His immortal sense carefully scanned all parts of the mountain gate again, ensuring everything was as usual and that no inner demons were causing trouble, before he confidently withdrew his gaze.

Just then, a graceful figure flew out of Potian Peak, heading towards Xiaoqiong Peak. She rode on auspicious clouds, wearing an elegant ice-blue dress. Her long hair wasn't styled into a bun but simply tied in a ponytail. Her icy jade face was peerlessly beautiful, making one unconsciously wonder what she would look like when she smiled.

"Didn't Youqin say she was going into seclusion?" Li Changshou was somewhat puzzled. He had just helped her deal with her inner demons, so this should have been a time for profound insights. Why was she out walking? Perhaps there was still some unresolved knot in her heart? "Well, since I've started helping, I might as well see it through to the end."

Li Changshou sighed softly, then stepped outside, standing beside the alchemy room. He closed all the formations and quietly waited for Youqin Xuan Ya to arrive. Youqin Xuan Ya, who was originally heading directly to the chess and card room, noticed Li Changshou's figure. The white clouds beneath her feet immediately changed course, descending straight towards the alchemy room. As she lightly jumped down from the cloud, her skirt fluttered slightly, revealing her flawless jade-like feet, a rather pleasing sight.

"Senior Brother Changshou." Xuan Ya cupped her hands in greeting. Her thin lips curled slightly, revealing a faint smile, and her eyes, clearer than the starry night sky, conveyed the peace and joy in her heart.

"Junior Sister Youqin," Li Changshou returned the bow with a smile, "Do you have any difficulties in your cultivation recently?"

Youqin Xuan Ya hummed softly, nodded very seriously, and her expression showed a hint of shame. Shame...?

"I've disappointed Senior Brother," Youqin Xuan Ya said, her pretty face filled with dejection. "While cultivating, I was almost taken advantage of by an inner demon. Although my Dao heart is stable now, it was truly..."

Li Changshou smiled, "It's just an inner demon. Most cultivators like us experience them; there's no need to dwell on it. On the contrary, Junior Sister, you should reflect on why your Dao heart had a flaw, and thus avoid being taken advantage of by inner demons in the future."

"Xuan Ya will remember everything Senior Brother Changshou said." Youqin Xuan Ya looked up at Li Changshou and whispered, "Could we walk around the mountain? I have a few questions, also related to the flaw in my Dao heart, and I'd like to ask Senior Brother for guidance."

Li Changshou: ... Could she possibly want to share her inner demon experience with him? Indeed, that was the case.

Li Changshou and Youqin Xuan Ya strolled casually in the woods surrounding the alchemy room, as Youqin Xuan Ya described the general situation within her inner demon's illusion. She even, unwilling to lie and enduring her shyness, described how she happily cultivated with the 'Senior Brother Changshou' manifested by the inner demon. The very 'innocent' kind.

"Senior Brother Changshou," Youqin Xuan Ya turned to look at Li Changshou's profile and softly asked, "Xuan Ya has something she doesn't understand. That inner demon once acted a bit rudely towards Xuan Ya. Specifically, the inner demon moved forward..."

"You don't need to be specific about that!" Li Changshou interrupted Youqin Xuan Ya's narration and smiled, "I generally understand the problem. Junior Sister, the dual cultivation life you yearn for involves cultivating together, discussing together, living like carefree clouds and wild cranes, playing the zither and flute, and walking the path to immortality side by side. This is actually what many cultivators envision for their Dao companions – serene and elegant, very good."

Youqin Xuan Ya blinked and whispered, "Senior Brother, Xuan Ya wasn't asking about that..."

Li Changshou smiled, "Then what is it?"

"Hmm..." Youqin Xuan Ya pondered briefly, her pearly teeth gently pressing against her thin lips, her eyes shimmering beneath her brows. Accompanied by the gentle breeze blowing through the woods, she softly said: "I just asked my master, and Master said that what the inner demon showed was actually Xuan Ya's obsession. Xuan Ya also consulted her true heart, but still felt somewhat confused, so she came to Senior Brother for an answer."

"Hmm," Li Changshou said seriously, "Junior Sister, just say it. If I can give you this answer, I will."

"Well... um..." Youqin Xuan Ya hummed softly, her hands hanging in front of her, fingers intertwined. Her heart fluttered like a leaping deer, and after a moment, only a few words came out. Li Changshou waited patiently, finally hearing Youqin Xuan Ya say: "Senior Brother Changshou... Xuan Ya might... have some thoughts about you that are different from those for a cultivation partner..."

Li Changshou couldn't help but palm his forehead. Could she have mistaken the inner demon's inappropriate actions as her own inner obsession? That would make sense, but it was just—*cough*—merely an extreme measure Li Changshou took to scare her. Moreover, within the inner demon illusion, he truly was just putting on an act and didn't cross any boundaries! What to do now...? Should he pacify her like a child, telling her such thoughts were wrong or impure, and make her feel guilty? That would be too underhanded.

Li Changshou carefully chose his words, clasped his hands behind his back, and looked up at the white clouds in the sky through the gaps in the trees. He said gently: "Junior Sister, before we began cultivating, we were all mortals. Mortals are weak and need to reproduce to maintain the stability of their tribe and extend their bloodline. So, some things are ingrained in our bloodline, including human reproduction. That thought which appeared in your heart is actually very normal. If a Golden Immortal isn't utterly devoid of emotion and desire, how can they be without desires? Therefore, you don't need to feel ashamed or think you're not pure enough because of it. Desires, emotions, and thoughts are all parts of oneself. Learning to control, face, and overcome them is also a way of cultivation."

Youqin Xuan Ya listened intently, pondered carefully, and couldn't help but sigh softly with relief. Her heart knot had indeed been untied.

Li Changshou smiled, "Moreover, Junior Sister, your thoughts are indeed very innocent. For example, do you know how mortal couples specifically act to have offspring?"

Youqin Xuan Ya immediately replied: "Xuan Ya has read in books that it is said to be the convergence of Yin and Yang energies that can conceive living beings. Roughly, two people sit facing each other, with palms pressed together, each circulating their magical and immortal powers, using primordial Yin and Yang energies as a guide to condense the energy of life, which then enters the woman's womb."

A few question marks popped up on Li Changshou's forehead. "Who taught you that? That's a misunderstanding."

Youqin Xuan Ya blinked, looking a bit confused. She bowed to Li Changshou and said seriously: "Please, Senior Brother Changshou, teach me!"

"Me teach?!" Li Changshou couldn't help but blush and quickly said, "You should ask your master about this, or perhaps Ling'e and Martial Uncle Jiu. There's a distinction between men and women; this is not something I can easily teach."

Youqin Xuan Ya became even more puzzled, while Li Changshou proactively changed the subject, beginning to discuss the 'post-graduation plans' of their fellow disciples. As the current chief disciple of the Immortal Ascension Sect, Youqin Xuan Ya naturally paid attention to such matters, and her attention was easily diverted by Li Changshou. Half an hour later, she returned to Potian Peak, still carrying that doubt in her heart.

Li Changshou wiped the warm sweat from his forehead and secretly sighed. He wondered if he should submit a memorial to the Jade Emperor, specifically to establish some primordial enlightenment education. It should bring a good deal of merit... probably.

"Palms pressed together, sitting cross-legged, tsk, it's a wonder you could come up with that." Li Changshou shook his head and floated back into the alchemy room.

Speaking of which, when the Dao Ancestor established the Heavenly Court and the Sages set the major affairs of heaven and earth, Saint Nuwa, using the innate spirit treasure Red Silk Ball, determined the matters of marriage and established the three marriages of Heaven, Earth, and Man. The Heavenly Marriage referred to the Jade Emperor and the Queen Mother. This senior and junior sibling pair set an example, becoming a model for marriage in the Three Realms. However, because the Heavenly Court was relatively weak, it didn't have a huge impact, merely writing the marriage template into the Heavenly Dao. Only after that did various races establish customs for marriage and weddings. Unlike the ancient times of the Witch and Human races, who mainly found partners through tribal gatherings, the custom back then was for women to launch surprise attacks: if a woman liked a man, she would go up, knock him out, and carry him back to her tent. When Li Changshou read about this custom in ancient texts, he couldn't help but make some associations. If a tribe had a very handsome man who caused women to scramble for him, wouldn't he be repeatedly knocked senseless? Ah, the Primordial World... Not just women, men also had to protect themselves.

After seeing Youqin Xuan Ya off, Li Changshou waited for another half day. As the sun set in the west and the Lunar Star was about to appear above the sea of clouds, Dong Mugong arrived, riding on a cloud with a troop of heavenly soldiers. After seeing Li Changshou, Dong Mugong exchanged a few pleasantries and then produced two treasure pouches.

"A total of three hundred of the finest peaches," Dong Mugong said with a smile, "a hundred each for the Chan and Jie Sects, and a hundred for the Human Sect. This was decided by the Queen Mother." After speaking, he subtly winked, and Li Changshou immediately understood the implication. Who was in the Human Sect? Besides the Saint Master, wasn't it just him and the Grand Master? These hundred peaches were clearly meant for Li Changshou!

Li Changshou felt a surge of emotion in his heart, but remained outwardly calm. He put away the peaches and said, "Does Lord Mugong have any other instructions? I'll go to Jin'ao Island first thing tomorrow morning."

"Well," Dong Mugong turned to glance at the Sea God's Residence gate and whispered, "there's a small matter, also entrusted by the Queen Mother. Sea God, are you in need of a disciple? Not a disciple for cultivation or imparting the Dao, but a disciple for strategy and wisdom, unrelated to the Human Sect's lineage. If you need a disciple, just say the word, and I'll send them to you immediately."

Li Changshou couldn't help but slightly frown and whispered, "Who is worthy of such entrustment from the Queen Mother?"

Dong Mugong transmitted his voice: "It's a princess, His Majesty's beloved, the Queen Mother's precious jewel, though she hasn't been publicized externally..."

Li Changshou mused for a few moments, "What does His Majesty think about this?"

"This matter was proposed by His Majesty himself."

"Then it's no problem," Li Changshou smiled. "If His Majesty has commanded it, how could I not obey? Where is this princess? I will go and pay my respects immediately."

"She's just outside," Dong Mugong turned around and called towards the main gate, "Princess Longji, please come in. The Sea God has agreed!"