Chapter 332: Arrangements From Cultivation to Ascension

In the straw hut, Ling'e pouted, carefully wiping the water marks from her face with a handkerchief.

Li Changshou offered an apologetic smile, then frowned deeply and crossed his arms. His immortal sense focused on the thick-browed, bright-eyed young man outside the mountain gate, and three questions arose in his mind:

What's going on?

This shouldn't be happening.

How is this possible?

This young Li Jing, is he the General Soldier of Chentang Pass? Madam Yin's husband? Nezha's father? The one who will definitely be caught empty-handed... cough, perhaps not.

Could it be that the Investiture of the Gods is only a few decades away?

That's clearly wrong!

The Southern Continent of Jambudvipa hasn't seen the 'Dark Bird giving birth to Shang' yet. From a mortal perspective, the Shang Dynasty, the primary target of the Investiture of the Gods, doesn't even exist as a shadow!

Li Changshou had investigated many times; the mortal world of the Southern Continent was currently in a state of warlord-like fragmentation, similar to the period after the end of the Xia Dynasty.

Due to its vastness, different regions of the Southern Continent had varying levels of development. Some areas still practiced a primitive tribal custom where men and women "knocked each other out to get married," so the stages of development varied widely.

Moreover, the sequence of events for the Great Tribulation of the Investiture of the Gods should be:

Step one: The Jade Emperor feels offended by the disciples of the Three Religions and seeks out the Dao Ancestor to complain.

Step two: The Dao Ancestor summons the Three Pure Ones, instructing the Three Religions to sign the Investiture of the Gods list, filling the Heavenly Court's divine positions with their disciples.

Step three: After a significant period following the signing of the Investiture of the Gods list, Empress Nuwa is offended by a lewd poem from King Zhou of Shang, leading her to punish the king and thus triggering the Great Tribulation.

At this point, the Sages discover that the tribulation is destined for the mortal dynastic changes in the Southern Continent of Jambudvipa. The Chan School adopts a strategy of "accepting disciples to avert disaster," while the Jie School implements a policy of "sealing their island and not emerging."

Li Changshou had reviewed this sequence hundreds of times over the years, and the probability of any error was extremely small.

And merely completing these steps would take more than just a few hundred years!

Li Changshou gazed at the young man kneeling before the mountain gate, falling into a deep reverie.

To be safe, he decided against drawing immediate conclusions. He simply didn't have enough information at hand.

How could he acquire more information?

It was quite simple, actually...

Li Changshou began to calculate with his fingers, meticulously analyzing his past life's memories.

After attaining the Golden Immortal realm, many forgotten details from his past life could be "recalled" through divination.

In fact, even old Pure Yang immortals like his Master, who had lived for countless years, used divination to recall distant memories.

Soon, Li Changshou extracted several pieces of information from his memory regarding Li Jing of Chentang Pass during the Great Tribulation of the Investiture of the Gods.

Li Jing, General Soldier of Chentang Pass, an important general of the Great Shang.

He was loyal to the king and patriotic—though he later defected on the battlefield. He was upright and incorruptible—but occasionally showed cowardice.

He claimed to have studied Daoist arts for many years but found cultivation difficult, so he chose to return to the mortal world and become a general. This contradicted his claim of his family having guarded Chentang Pass for generations.

After the Great Tribulation of the Investiture of the Gods, his physical body was listed among the immortals, becoming Li Jing, the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King and Grand Marshal of the Heavenly Court's armed forces. His eldest son, Jinzha, and second son, Muzha, later followed their respective masters, Manjushri Guangfa Tianzun and Cihang Daoren, to join the Western Buddhist teachings. His third son, Nezha, served the Jade Emperor alongside Heavenly King Li.

Li Changshou mused for a moment, then continued his contemplation.

Li Jing's most famous tale was his estrangement from his third son, Nezha.

As for Nezha, Li Changshou was naturally more than familiar with him; he was one of the most mischievous children in mythical stories.

From Li Jing's perspective, Nezha killing the Dragon Prince brought disaster upon Chentang Pass, and accidentally shooting Lady Shiji's attendant should have warranted punishment.

At this thought, Li Changshou's mind began to wander...

As an ordinary human, Li Jing probably found it difficult to feel a "fatherly connection" to the reincarnation of a spiritual pearl born from his wife after three and a half years of pregnancy...

If Li Changshou were to judge, Li Jing was a typical patriarch, neglecting his children's discipline yet unwilling to take responsibility for his failures in upbringing.

The biggest culprit behind the tragedy of Nezha carving his bones and flesh was actually Taiyi Zhenren, who overly doted on his disciple and gave him every treasure.

After Nezha forged his lotus body, his pursuit of Li Jing, while seemingly an act of rebellion against patriarchal authority, was in fact excessive.

There seems to be a point here...

It was while Li Jing was being pursued by Nezha that Nezha poked Randeng Daoren with a spear, leading Randeng Daoren to assist Li Jing.

Randeng bestowed upon him an exquisite pagoda, with which Li Jing subdued Nezha. Afterwards, Li Jing honored Randeng Daoren as his teacher.

Prior to this, Li Jing had always claimed to be a disciple of Daoist Du'e from Kunlun Mountain.

Considering how these mortal generals often exaggerated, turning two hundred thousand soldiers into eight hundred thousand, could it be that...

Li Jing's so-called "disciple of Daoist Du'e" meant he became a disciple of the Immortal Ascension Sect?

He cultivated at the Immortal Ascension Sect for a period, felt that immortality was out of reach, and then returned to the mortal world, preparing to ascend to the heavens during the Great Tribulation of the Investiture of the Gods to attain eternal life?

Li Changshou's eyes lit up!

In that instant, he suddenly felt as if he had pierced through the misty veil surrounding a mythical truth!

A practical question then arose...

What could he plot using Li Jing?

Li Changshou transmitted his voice to Li Jing, who was kneeling outside the mountain gate:

"Wait patiently for now. I will arrange for your initiation into cultivation shortly. I hope you will diligently practice and never forget your original aspiration."

Outside the mountain gate, the young Li Jing bowed repeatedly.

Li Changshou, however, didn't pay much attention, sitting there in deep thought.

Ling'e, looking aggrieved, finished wiping her face clean. Seeing her senior brother shaking his head and nodding, she dared not disturb him and quietly slipped away to bathe and freshen up.

Soon, Li Changshou had clarified his thoughts.

A pawn delivered to his doorstep was too good to pass up!

He and Randeng were already adversaries, so he naturally couldn't give Randeng another chance to act. However, he still needed to find a way to acquire Randeng's Exquisite Golden Pagoda.

Li Jing was an important general in the army that would conquer Shang, and his three sons were also exceptional talents, especially Nezha, whose lotus body possessed infinite potential and was connected to Taiyi Zhenren, one of the Twelve Golden Immortals of the Chan School.

Li Jing's flaws were apparent: insufficient care for his sons, lack of understanding in raising them, and using patriotism and loyalty to the king as a facade to conceal his own shortcomings and deficiencies.

If he could arrange for Li Jing to cultivate at the Immortal Ascension Sect later, he could secretly intervene, allowing the "family-like atmosphere of the Immortal Ascension Sect" to influence Li Jing and instill a stronger sense of family responsibility in him.

In that instant, Li Changshou thought about how to mold Li Jing, how to quickly turn him into a powerful Heavenly Immortal, and how to shower him with the doubled care of a loving father.

Li Changshou even devised clever strategies for Li Jing to use when he descended the mountain.

Their name...

"Prenatal Education"!

A "big fish" had suddenly arrived at the Immortal Ascension Sect, and Li Changshou, who had previously shown less concern for the sect's internal affairs, temporarily shifted his attention back.

Properly guiding Li Jing would also play a significant role in the Great Tribulation of the Investiture of the Gods:

During the tribulation, Li Changshou would have more opportunities to intervene.

After the tribulation, Li Changshou could use the karmic ties from Li Jing's time at the Immortal Ascension Sect to build a rapport with the future Grand Marshal of the Heavenly Court's armed forces, thus solidifying his position as a powerful minister and making it easier to accumulate merits.

In the Heavenly Court, there was no such thing as a subject's achievements overshadowing the sovereign or mutual suspicion between ruler and minister.

With the Heavenly Dao suppressing all and the Dao Ancestor's backing, who could possibly rebel against the Jade Emperor?

In fact, after discovering Li Jing, Li Changshou was already contemplating...

After solidifying his Golden Body of Merit, he would cultivate a reliable group of "his own people" for the Heavenly Court to serve as the Jade Emperor's right-hand men, while he himself would enter a semi-retired state and enjoy his immortal life.

Arrangement was an art that had recently emerged in the Primordial Era.

It sounded much more elegant than "plotting."

However, Li Changshou soon realized that Li Jing's path to entering the mountain gate was fraught with many difficulties.

Li Jing was first targeted and ridiculed by other young boys who had come to seek apprenticeship.

Then, Li Jing's own dry rations were eaten up, and he almost fainted from hunger after several days.

Fortunately, Li Changshou discovered this in time and arranged for a celestial crane to fly over, bringing Li Jing a bottle of hunger-suppressing pills, solving two problems for him at once.

The trouble Li Changshou faced was finding a master for Li Jing.

Taking on Li Jing as his own disciple was definitely out of the question.

Li Jing carried such a massive karmic burden that taking him on as a disciple would only invite trouble. If accepting him as his own disciple was the only way to arrange Li Jing's path, Li Changshou would rather abandon this "tribulation handle."

After much thought, Li Changshou concluded that Elder Wan Linjun was the best candidate.

Elder Wan Linjun was outwardly cold but inwardly warm. At first, he would likely scare Li Jing half to death, but the more he revealed his gentle side later, the more Li Jing would feel...

True emotions and true love exist in the human world!

Father's love is like a mountain, boundless and encompassing!

However, Elder Wan Linjun seemed to be in secluded cultivation at the moment, and would soon face the Golden Immortal tribulation.

Li Changshou pondered, then had to rule out this option.

After careful consideration, Li Changshou thought that for someone as renowned in the Three Realms as Li Jing would become, it would truly be appropriate to invite "Daoist Du'e" to take him on as a registered disciple.

This way, when Li Jing later sought an immortal position in the Heavenly Court, his background and resume would look better.

After a few days of hesitation, the mountain gate ceremony was drawing near.

A faint sense of alarm suddenly arose in Li Changshou's heart...

If he couldn't settle the matter of Li Jing's master, it was highly probable that on the day of the opening ceremony, a decree from the Sages would descend, forcing him to accept Li Jing himself!

The more he thought about it, the more likely it seemed!

What should he do?

How could he persuade someone he wasn't familiar with to accept a disciple of mediocre talent? And then treat him with a hundred percent of a father's love?

Among those he knew well, there really wasn't a suitable candidate...

Should he ask his Master for help and invite Daoist Du'e to visit the Immortal Ascension Sect?

But what would be the reason?

He couldn't possibly say that his divination skills had suddenly advanced to a level comparable to the Sages, deducing that Li Jing would be an important figure in the coming tribulation, could he?

That would most likely earn him a beating from his Master and then have his primordial spirit disassembled by the Sixiao Palace.

If all else failed, he would have to let Senior Uncle Jiuwu take the position!

But Senior Uncle Jiuwu himself couldn't project much of a "fatherly authority" image, and he was constantly being lectured by Senior Uncle Jiushi...

In the vast Immortal Ascension Sect, was there truly no suitable "father figure for Li Jing"?

"Yawn..."

A faint yawn came from outside the straw hut. Li Changshou looked up to see his Master riding a cloud towards the back mountain, presumably to check on Senior Aunt Jiu Yushi's cultivation progress.

His own Master...

Even if he wanted to make his presence known, he absolutely could not accept any more disciples!

Li Changshou stood up and paced constantly inside the straw hut, contemplating one countermeasure after another.

This seemingly minor matter had far-reaching implications, and no solution seemed entirely foolproof.

He pondered meticulously, constantly deducing, and repeatedly deriving each possibility he considered.

This time, there was no sudden flash of inspiration. Li Changshou simply calculated forward and backward according to his own methods, promptly jumping out of dead ends, shifting his mindset, and adjusting his way of thinking...

First, narrow the focus, then broaden it, then abstract...

Gradually, a clear line of thought solidified in Li Changshou's grasp.

Working backward from how to get Daoist Du'e to personally accept Li Jing as a disciple, to what sufficiently attractive qualities Li Jing possessed, Li Changshou suddenly grasped the key!

Fortune!

Just now, Li Jing had caused him to have a sudden inspiration, made him look at the boy many times, and even prompted him to actively inquire. This must be related to Li Jing's own fortune!

How could Li Jing's fortune be poor if his physical body was to be listed among the immortals?

Furthermore, this was the future Grand Marshal of the Heavenly Court, the patriarch of a prominent Heavenly family, with a father and three sons all holding distinguished positions!

Soon, Li Changshou finalized a plan. His paper effigy in the Heavenly Court also became active, heading directly to the Tushita Palace...

Half an hour later, Li Changshou breathed a slight sigh of relief, settling back into his armchair. He looked at the stack of scrolls before him, a serene smile on his face.

There were no such things as randomly acquired brilliant schemes; they were all the result of diligent effort.

Two days later.

One of Li Changshou's paper effigies returned from the Heavenly Court, bringing back a treasure pouch.

Outside the Immortal Ascension Sect, a large number of immortals and mortals had already gathered.

Immortals who had brought aspiring disciples floated in the air.

Those without an immortal sect background waited on the steps in front of the mountain gate.

A rough estimate put the number of children and youths at two to three thousand, making it much livelier than the previous opening ceremony.

Clearly, over the past two centuries, the Immortal Ascension Sect's reputation within and beyond the Five Continents had significantly improved.

Inside the sect, it was like a mortal New Year celebration. The sorrow of the previous batch of disciples leaving the mountain had been swept away, and the elders and sect members from various peaks who were planning to accept disciples this time would often stroll near the mountain gate.

They would wander around but remain out of sight, as if they feared being laughed at if spotted by outsiders.

Li Changshou inwardly mumbled a couple of complaints about this, then called the residents of Little Qiong Peak over for an initial verification...

He took out a sundial-shaped artifact and placed it in front of the straw hut. He then had his Master, junior sister, Senior Aunt Jiu Jiu, Senior Aunt Jiu Yushi, and Xiong Lingli step forward one by one, placing their palms on it for a moment.

This artifact, made by his Master, had only one function: to determine a person's fortune.

Li Changshou had originally intended to learn the art of discerning fortune, but seeing that his Master possessed such a treasure, he cheerfully cajoled it back.

On the circular plate, there were twelve levels marked with twelve progressively changing colors, from white to red, then to purple and deep purple.

Ordinary human Qi Refiners typically had fortunes ranging from light red to deep red, as humanity was currently the protagonist of the world, and their fortune was flourishing.

His Master's test result was exactly this: light red.

Jiu Jiu's and Jiu Yushi's fortunes were about two notches higher than their Master's, also within the normal range.

However, Ling'e's fortune reached deep red, approaching light purple, which quite surprised Li Changshou.

When Xiong Lingli's large hand pressed onto it, she waited patiently for a while...

"Cousin?"

Xiong Lingli weakly turned her head and whispered, "Is this thing broken?"

Li Changshou stared at it closely for a moment, then said, "Look, there's a projection, it's just rising a little less... Don't be sad, you're currently in a good state, so you won't have bad luck."

Hearing this, Xiong Lingli immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

Then, all five pairs of eyes turned to Li Changshou.

Li Changshou, however, smiled calmly, put the artifact away, and said, "I'll go find Senior Uncle Jiuwu first to discuss how this thing should be used."

With that, he immediately performed an Earth Escape spell, giving them no chance to speak.

To be cautious, fortune-telling was a top secret, not something even his Master or junior sister should know about.

Although Li Changshou said he was going to find Jiuwu, he actually veered off and went to the Immortal Ascension Hall.

Li Jing's apprenticeship plan, as well as his cultivation plan after becoming a disciple, his personality transformation plan, and his family education training plan, had, by this point, been safely...

...put into place by Li Changshou.