Chapter 399: Professional Team

In the center of Tear Lake, nine figures sat cross-legged around Xiao Ai.

From the Human Daoist Sect: Grandmaster Xuandu and Li Changshou.From the Chan Sect: Guang Chengzi, Perfected Taiyi, and Perfected Yuding.From the Jie Sect: Daoist Duobao, Immortal Mother Jinling, Zhao Gongming, and Immortal Yunxiao.

These nine Daoist masters, all core disciples of the Daoist Saints, were gathered beneath the Eighteenth Layer of Hell in the Underworld. Less than a *zhang* away from Houtu's Seven Emotions Incarnation, Xiao Ai, they focused intently on experiencing and perceiving...

Grandmaster Xuandu's voice from a moment ago still echoed in their ears:"To contend with the power of the Seven Emotions, you must first understand what this power truly is. It's neither a divine ability nor a mystic art; rather, it's a resonance with one's own emotions. We must each grasp methods to resist the power of the Seven Emotions by confronting the emotion of sorrow. For instance, when facing Xiao Ai, try to think of joyful things to counteract the negative emotions in your heart. If you feel you can no longer endure, simply retreat. The further you are from Xiao Ai, the less you will be affected..."

And so...

The scene of the nine Saint disciples sitting in a circle hadn't even looked impressive for long before Perfected Taiyi let out a chuckle, tears glistening in his eyes. He quickly turned and fled into the distance, simultaneously weeping and laughing, completely losing all semblance of a master's demeanor.

Daoist Duobao sighed, "I never thought Junior Brother Taiyi was such an emotional person."Guang Chengzi immediately smiled without a word, feeling a slight hint of awkwardness.

The other eight, however, were able to continue. Perfected Yuding, who had arrived with Perfected Taiyi, showed no reaction at all, merely sitting quietly as if in meditation.

"Alas," Xiao Ai sighed faintly, lying there, tears streaming down her face. She mumbled softly:"What a miserable incarnation I am, already so wretched, yet still being used as a whetstone, still being stared at... This must be the fate of us incarnations. Our existence is false, merely an extension that shouldn't exist. You surround me, thinking only of how to eliminate me, and yet, because of this slight bustling and being thought of, a ridiculous trace of joy emerges in my heart... How much more pathetic."

"Ah, this Daoist truly can't handle this!"Daoist Duobao stood up, gave Xiao Ai a Daoist salute, and then sped off into the distance."I can deal with the other Seven Emotions, but I simply can't bear this one! She's truly too pitiful!"

"Alas, even the only one who felt pity for me has left," Xiao Ai murmured with a desolate smile, lightly tapping the Tear Lake with her finger."What is there about existence that is worth happiness?"Immortal Mother Jinling stood up and walked away. From a distance, she merely let out a sigh, wiping away the tears from the corner of her eyes, saying, "I'm the same as Senior Brother."Three more casualties.

Li Changshou looked at Immortal Yunxiao beside him with some concern. Seeing that Yunxiao's Daoist essence and emotions were stable, he felt a little relieved.

Half a day later, the remaining six stood up, each offering Xiao Ai a Daoist salute. They then joined the three immortals who had left earlier at the edge of Tear Lake to convene the first special meeting to save Houtu.

Grandmaster Xuandu asked, "Junior brothers and sisters, do you now have a clear understanding of the power of the Seven Emotions?"All the immortals nodded.

Guang Chengzi said gently, "The Seven Emotions and Six Desires are unavoidable for living beings. Even we, after years of cultivation, are subject to them, though they may not be apparent in daily life. The Seven Emotions Incarnations of the Virtuous Houtu are not derived from her own emotions, but rather from the incomplete Seven Emotions shed by all beings before entering reincarnation. Their power is far beyond what divine abilities can match. We must embrace these Seven Emotions Incarnations if we are to truly transcend the Seven Emotions."

"What Senior Brother said makes sense," Perfected Taiyi nodded, crossing his arms, indicating his strong agreement. Then, with a shift in tone, he added, "But upon closer inspection, it seems he didn't actually say anything specific."

Guang Chengzi glared at Perfected Taiyi, who calmly rolled his eyes."Then you tell us," Guang Chengzi casually pulled out a large seal, holding it in his hand, and calmly asked, "How exactly should we proceed?"

Perfected Taiyi's expression turned solemn as he said seriously:"This Daoist has just carefully re-experienced... Senior Brother is absolutely right! We must embrace and protect!"

"No more joking," Grandmaster Xuandu said with a smile. "Junior brothers and sisters, do you need more time to experience this?"All the immortals shook their heads in unison, having understood how to contend with the power of the Seven Emotions.

Grandmaster Xuandu then said, "Previously, Chang Geng and I entered the Six Paths Reincarnation Disk once and encountered the incarnations of Malice and Desire. *Cough*, under my cover, Chang Geng successfully passed through the Incarnation of Desire and made contact with Houtu Niangniang..."

"Oh?"Zhao Gongming's eyes lit up. He looked at Li Changshou and chuckled, "My second sister is also here. Chang Geng, could you elaborate on that part?"

Immortal Yunxiao quickly interjected, "Brother, please don't be like that. We are discussing serious matters.""No problem," Li Changshou replied with a smile. He took out several scrolls from his robe and, using immortal power, sent them to the male immortals.

Li Changshou's smile faded as he said seriously:"The Incarnation of Desire takes on myriad forms. For different Qi Refiners, she can be extremely powerful or incredibly weak. Unlike Xiao Ai, the Incarnation of Desire actively probes the deepest desires within our hearts. This desire could be for cultivation, power, respect from others, and so on. As long as she seizes an opportunity, the Dao Heart will become overgrown with desires, leading to cultivation deviation. After enduring several of her assaults, she revealed an exceptionally powerful ability: transforming into the living being's own desires, directly interfering with our Dao Hearts. Fortunately, when she confronted me, she manifested as lust, and I happened to be carrying some magical artifacts that could calm the Dao Heart... these very scrolls. You may carry them with you. If you are affected by the Incarnation of Desire during a confrontation, you can take them out and look at them."

Filled with curiosity, the male immortals each opened a scroll and observed it carefully. Suddenly, the entire vast, white expanse of Tear Lake became so silent that a pin drop could be heard...Then, someone let out a dry cough. The male immortals simultaneously turned their heads, casting very complex gazes at Li Changshou.

Zhao Gongming took out a Sea-Calming Divine Pearl and squeezed it hard against his eyes, squirting two small jets of water.Daoist Duobao chuckled, his eyes darting around several times, wondering what he was thinking.

Immortal Mother Jinling leaned in curiously to peek at the treasured scroll in Zhao Gongming's hand. Her pretty face showed a strange expression as she looked at Li Changshou's current demeanor and muttered,"Junior Brother, do you perhaps look at these masterpieces of yours before meeting Junior Sister Yunxiao?"Li Changshou chuckled, "These are merely for self-defense. Why would I need to guard against Immortal Yunxiao?"

Yunxiao pursed her lips in a slight smile but did not speak.

Perfected Taiyi sighed with a laugh, "No wonder all the Daoist disciples are now eclipsed by you. Water God, you can do what ordinary people cannot; you are truly extraordinary."

Li Changshou smiled without speaking, naturally taking the lead in the conversation. He slowly said:"After I found Houtu Niangniang, I spoke with her for a long time. Senior brothers and sisters, you must already understand how and why the Seven Emotions Incarnations came into being, so I won't elaborate. Instead, I'll explain how to deal with them. According to Houtu Niangniang's guidance, resolving the issues of the Seven Emotions Incarnations requires a process of channeling and eruption. The Seven Emotions cannot be suppressed; they can only be guided out. This process requires all Seven Emotions Incarnations to descend into the world simultaneously, influencing and restraining each other to achieve a stable state, just like the emotions of an ordinary person. Afterward, the Virtuous Houtu will return from her Seven Emotions Incarnations, completing this rescue."He paused, allowing the various masters a brief moment for thought.

Daoist Duobao mused, "All Seven Emotions Incarnations must appear simultaneously and achieve a balance of emotions? That sounds quite difficult..."

Li Changshou nodded and summarized:"This process consists of four steps: the first is to bring Xiao Ai back to the Six Paths Reincarnation Disk; the second is to free Houtu Niangniang's Seven Emotions Incarnations; the third is to regulate the power of the Seven Emotions Incarnations; and the fourth is to rescue Houtu Niangniang herself."

Immortal Mother Jinling frowned, "Then, what about Xiao Ai?"Li Changshou was silent for a moment."Aren't you hailed as the foremost in wisdom and strategy among Human Daoist Sect disciples?" Immortal Mother Jinling asked, her face showing reluctance. "Why not save her?"

"We can, but we shouldn't."Li Changshou transmitted his voice: "They are inherently parts of Houtu Niangniang, merely having developed different emotional inclinations and independent Dao Hearts. Neither you nor I are the ones involved; we don't know the pain of such a divided Dao Heart. Isn't Houtu Niangniang herself the primary body of the Seven Emotions Incarnations?"

Immortal Mother Jinling hesitated to speak further. Her Dao Realm was not low; she was only temporarily affected by sorrow and naturally understood that what Li Changshou said was the correct principle.

Li Changshou glanced at Yunxiao, then quickly averted his gaze and continued:"We now need to determine the division of labor for the third step. I will create a detailed plan later. Among the powers of the Seven Emotions, Xiao Ai (Sorrow) is currently the strongest, followed by Malice, and then Desire in third place. After them are Fear and Anger, with Love and Joy being the weakest. After all, when living beings face death, they rarely have joyful or happy thoughts, so Houtu Niangniang was not left with much Love and Joy... Malice and Anger are the most aggressive, but we need to weaken the power of Malice and strengthen the power of Anger, so that Malice is alleviated and Anger can rapidly increase. Malice has already engaged with my Senior Brother Grandmaster Xuandu, so it would be best for my Senior Brother to continue handling it. What do you all think?"

Grandmaster Xuandu smiled and nodded, and the immortals each assented.

Li Changshou then asked, "Now, here's a question: who can make the Incarnation of Anger angrier in the shortest possible time?"The immortals pondered for a moment, and then eight gazes simultaneously turned towards...The handsome and dashing Perfected Taiyi, clad in red robes.

Perfected Taiyi's mouth twitched slightly. He took out a mirror, looked at himself, and calmly said:"In this day and age, even a true-hearted male immortal gets targeted like this! Alright then, this Daoist will go and deal with the Incarnation of Anger!"

"That seems appropriate," Li Changshou said, his eyes narrowing with a smile. "After all, the Incarnation of Anger isn't particularly strong overall."

Perfected Taiyi laughed and scolded, "Oh, you, Chang Geng! Come to my Mount Qianyuan for a drink when you have time!""Certainly," Li Changshou agreed, and continued discussing the assignments with the immortals.

Before long, the assignments were finalized.Zhao Gongming would handle the Incarnation of Fear, and Perfected Yuding volunteered to deal with the Incarnation of Desire.Immortal Mother Jinling would take on the Incarnations of Love and Joy, which were the least difficult. Li Changshou and Immortal Yunxiao would work together to confront Xiao Ai, the Incarnation of Sorrow, who had the strongest influence.Guang Chengzi and Daoist Duobao would serve as the rapid response team, responsible for providing timely support wherever needed.

Li Changshou instructed, "This isn't just about fighting with spells. For instance, with the Incarnation of Joy, the goal is to make her even happier. The Incarnation of Love has a different arrangement; this isn't romantic love in the narrow sense, but encompasses all forms of love in the world... Senior Brother Guang Chengzi, there's something here that requires the assistance of the Chan Sect's immortal lineage."

Li Changshou took out a jade token and handed it to Guang Chengzi. After reading it, Guang Chengzi nodded, promising to make the arrangements later. The arrangements were quite similar to those for the Jie Sect.

Immortal Yunxiao softly asked, "How can we make Xiao Ai more cheerful?"Grandmaster Xuandu chuckled, "Chang Geng, why don't you demonstrate for Junior Sister Yunxiao? It will also serve as an example for everyone.""Yes, Senior Brother."

Li Changshou stood up, offered a Daoist salute to his numerous senior brothers and sisters, and then rode a cloud towards the lake.

"Alas,"Xiao Ai's sighs and murmurs drifted from the distance."Poor me, still being used as a demonstration subject... How can such immense sorrow ever be filled?"

Li Changshou descended from his cloud and said gently, "Daoist friend, you are not I; how do you know I do not understand your suffering?"Xiao Ai replied weakly:"Is mutual understanding necessary? Does anyone truly want to understand others? Or do they just pretend to understand to get a response? Isn't it tiring?"

Li Changshou: ...It was pointless to argue. In this situation, no matter what logic he presented, more counter-arguments would be pressed against him. So, he decided to try a different approach.

Li Changshou calmly sat before her, took out a book from his robe, and began reading it with relish. From time to time, he would let out a light chuckle, occasionally even putting the book down to burst into laughter.

From a distance, the Daoist immortals looked enlightened, seemingly grasping the essence of his strategy:Distract the other party, pique their curiosity!Unfortunately, Xiao Ai merely lay there, silently weeping, completely oblivious to Li Changshou's behavior.

Li Changshou continued reading his book, feeling no danger of things going awry...

A moment later, Xiao Ai opened her eyes, tear-filled and with a hint of helplessness."Must you mock a sorrowful person like me here? You have your joy, I have my sorrow. Can't you laugh somewhere else?"

Li Changshou closed his book and asked, puzzled, "Daoist friend, what exactly is there to be so sad about?"

"Isn't existence inherently false, something that shouldn't have been born, and thus not worth grieving over?""Then, what is real?"Li Changshou asked gently, "You previously said that everything originates from living beings' perception of the external world, that all prosperity is an illusion like passing clouds, and that nothing holds any meaning. But Xiao Ai, who defines these meanings? Is it you? Or did other beings give you such a concept? And now that you and I are conversing here, aren't you truly existing?"

Xiao Ai mumbled, "But my existence needs to be erased, it must be rectified, so it's still false.""Then, before being rectified, do you not wish to experience other emotions?""What's the point?" Xiao Ai asked back mournfully. "Can't I just disappear like this?"

Li Changshou continued gently:"For you personally, perhaps it holds no meaning, but for the being who birthed you and needs your help, it is very meaningful. Even Xiao Ai, whose mind is consumed by sorrow and grief, isn't she still *her*? You, who have been hiding here, afraid to go out and harm others, and she, who bears all hardships yet still wishes to help others — ultimately, you are but one and the same being. Both equally gentle."

Xiao Ai's lips trembled as she cried, "What can I possibly help her with? I'm just a useless being who only knows sorrow and despair!"

"Come, let's play a simple game. Perhaps it will help you."Li Changshou extended his right hand towards Xiao Ai, "Just for her sake, can you try to sit up?""It's meaningless...""Then stay prone, it's fine. Watch."

A few golden specks of light appeared in Li Changshou's right hand. Each speck contained a scene of Li Changshou laughing heartily while reading his book earlier."This is a portion of my joy. Now, you bring out an equal amount of your sorrow."

Xiao Ai's finger trembled, and a light blue orb slowly flew towards Li Changshou, hovering in his palm.Li Changshou closed his eyes and channeled his power, rubbing the two orbs together into a single mass. Inside, two colored beams chased each other, transforming into Taiji, then reverting to chaos.Xiao Ai tilted her head, watching. Although she sensed a profound Daoist essence, she still didn't understand its meaning...

Soon, Li Changshou produced a treasured pearl and infused the Taiji orb into it, then covered the pearl with a black cloth."Xiao Ai, tell me, is what's inside joy or sorrow? You should be able to understand the principles of Yin-Yang I just demonstrated, right?""Neither... it's emotional chaos...""Chaos is constantly evolving, but its direction is not certain. I can tell you clearly that the emotions inside have already taken shape. From chaos, Yin and Yang are born, and within this, the two most fundamental emotions, sorrow and joy, have formed. So, there's a fifty percent chance it's sorrow and a fifty percent chance it's joy, correct?"

"Hmm, it seems so.""Then, if you never lift this black cloth, sorrow and joy can be considered to exist simultaneously, correct?""One could say that..."Xiao Ai tilted her head, and the Daoist immortals in the distance also tilted their heads in unison, gradually becoming a little confused.

Li Changshou chuckled, "So, sorrow and joy have already been superimposed. As long as you don't lift this cloth, both can exist simultaneously. Now, look ahead. Perhaps you can see the next moment, the next hour, but what about further? If the time is distant enough, a future you cannot foresee, won't the emotions there also be in a state of chaos? In emotional chaos, sorrow and joy exist simultaneously, yet are undetermined. Only when you arrive there will the emotion collapse in one direction. Fifty percent chance of sorrow, fifty percent chance of joy, correct?"

"No, everything you're saying is sophistry," Xiao Ai immediately shook her head. "I won't live that long at all; everything about me is already fixed."

"Then tell me," Li Changshou gently shook the orb beneath the black cloth, "Is what's inside definitely sorrow?"Xiao Ai couldn't help but be startled.

Li Changshou's eyes twinkled with a smile. "Look down."Xiao Ai instinctively looked down, only to find that at some point, she had propped herself up and was sitting diagonally, the strap of her black gauze dress gently slipping off her shoulder...

Li Changshou stood up, placed the black-cloth-wrapped treasured pearl in front of Xiao Ai, and whispered,"Sorrow is not the meaning of your existence; feeling the sorrow of living beings is."With that, Li Changshou turned, rode his cloud, and flew towards the Daoist immortals.

Xiao Ai looked at the black-cloth-covered orb, slowly sat up, and reached out her small hand, only to retract it just as she was about to touch the cloth, repeating the motion.The pervasive sorrow throughout Tear Lake had significantly thinned.

"Hey, Senior Brother Xuandu," Zhao Gongming leaned closer to Grandmaster Xuandu and whispered, "What cultivation realm is Chang Geng in now, exactly?""I don't know," Grandmaster Xuandu replied, looking at his own hands, where two orbs of light slowly spun.Zhao Gongming chuckled, "Senior Brother Xuandu, what are you doing?""Just learning a bit before I go confront the little malicious girl," Grandmaster Xuandu said with a calm and composed smile, crushing the light orbs. He was already confident.The essence of Taiji? Simple, of course, nothing could be more familiar!