Chapter 400: Houtu · Seven Emotions [Super Large Chapter]

After Li Changshou's interaction with Houtu Niangniang, he had secured three days for his side.

During these three days, his paper effigies scurried about, traveling across the heavens and beneath the seas, making every possible preparation.

Meanwhile, his true body and eight Daoist masters in the Tear Lake focused on only two tasks:Sensing the power of the Seven Emotions through Little Sadness;And formulating a complete and detailed plan.

As for him using a bit of superficial knowledge from his previous life, blended with Taiqing Dao韵 and the profound principles of Yin and Yang, to engage in a rhetorical debate that brought Little Sadness more hope and less sorrow—that was merely a small demonstration, completely insignificant.

What they were currently discussing was the true main event!

The Grand Master stood with his hands behind his back, softly saying, "Let's use the Taiji Diagram directly. It's more reliable."

"How can a Primal Chaos Supreme Treasure be used here?" Zhao Gongming shook his head. "Brother Xuandu, why don't I use the Sea-Calming Divine Pearls? They can also stabilize the cosmos and contain all things."

Taiyi Zhenren slightly curled his lip. "Spitting water? This is the first time I've seen a Primal Chaos Spirit Treasure spit water."

Yu Ding Zhenren, who had been silent, spoke up, "Fellow Senior Brothers, perhaps I could escort Houtu Niangniang's Incarnation of Sadness there."

Little Sadness, sitting before them, pouted. She clutched herself and the black-cloth-wrapped pearl in her arms, mumbling, "I already agreed to cooperate with you, and now you're discussing how to transport me back right in front of me. I... I still feel so miserable..."

As soon as she finished speaking, several figures slowly rose from beneath the Tear Lake. They were Li Changshou, Guang Chengzi, and others, each holding a severed section of a silver-white chain.

The chains vibrated gently, simultaneously transforming into silver specks of light that returned to Little Sadness.

Li Changshou said, "The time is almost right. Let's begin."

The Grand Master gave a wry smile. "We haven't decided how to transport little..."

A flash of golden light, and an inverted golden bucket instantly appeared over Little Sadness, completely enveloping her.

Fairy Yunxiao gently swayed her fair hand. The Primordial Golden Bucket inverted, and Little Sadness vanished from the spot...

"It contains its own universe within; she won't be upside down," Yunxiao briefly explained.

Only after Yunxiao's simple explanation did the immortals come back to their senses, nodding in agreement.

The Grand Master's sleeve gently swayed, and a Taiji Diagram appeared beneath the feet of the nine immortals. As Yin and Yang energies flowed, the surrounding scenery shifted, and they found themselves at a corner beside the Six Paths of Reincarnation.

The area around the Reincarnation Plate had been cleared. Ten Yama Kings stood guard in various directions around the Six Paths of Reincarnation, while large numbers of underworld escorts, heavenly soldiers, and Witch tribe masters were deployed in layers outside the Reincarnation Immortal Island, poised for battle.

Li Changshou said, "Fellow Senior Brothers and Sister, please don't think I'm nagging, but I want to remind you one more time. Once we enter the Six Paths of Reincarnation, we will lose contact with the outside. Only the Taiji Diagram can move freely in and out. We must strive for success in one attempt, following the steps we've laid out, with no deviation exceeding a quarter of an hour."

"Understood," the eight Daoist masters replied in unison. Grand Master Xuandu raised his right hand, and the shadow of the Taiji Diagram appeared in his palm. A black and white vortex reappeared on the stone wall before them.

The nine figures leaped up together, transforming into nine streaks of light, and flew into the vortex!

Wisps of cold, sinister aura threatened to spill out from within the vortex, but the residual image of the Taiji Diagram flickered softly, and the vortex immediately collapsed into nothingness, leaving only the smooth stone wall...

Upon entering the Six Paths of Reincarnation, the nine immortals landed in the misty edge of this small world.

As Li Changshou had barely found his footing, Fairy Yunxiao, the Grand Master, and Zhao Gongming simultaneously moved a foot to several feet closer to him from three different directions.

Li Changshou: ...

*Sigh*, among the nine Daoist immortals here, he had the weakest cultivation.

"Such powerful hatred," Guang Chengzi whispered. The immortals all nodded, each holding their spirit treasures, and hurried out of the mist.

The boundless sea of sand Li Changshou had seen during his previous visit had largely transformed into a volcanic landscape. Boiling lava constantly surged, flowed, and solidified, presenting a scene of utter desolation in this small world.

In the center of the small world, an immensely colossal lava giant continually waved its arms, ceaselessly hurling burning boulders.

Perched on a throne atop the giant's head was the Incarnation of Evil, clad in a blood-red battle skirt and a short, waist-length top, embodying the profound truth that "the less you wear, the higher your defense."

(In fact, this was merely a common attire for ancient Witch tribe female warriors.)

The nine immortals ascended into the sky on clouds, heading straight for the scene.

"Hmph," the little evil girl sneered, her voice coming from an unknown distance. "I thought you were off doing something important. Turns out you just went to call for help."

The Grand Master made a 'halt' gesture, then advanced on his cloud, hands behind his back, and chuckled, "Fellow Daoist, our previous contest hasn't ended, so why would I need to seek help?"

"Very well," the little evil girl licked her lips, faint black energy spilling from around her. "I'll kill you first, then..."

"How about we play a simple trick?" the Grand Master smiled gently, speaking softly. "Look, I'll take out some good thoughts, and you take out an equal amount of evil thoughts, and let them..."

Whoosh—

A mountain-sized boulder flew horizontally, directly smashing the Grand Master away. The entire process was swift and decisive, causing Li Changshou and the other immortals to instinctively... cover their eyes.

Unbearable to watch, just unbearable.

"Scum! Who's playing tricks with you?"

The little evil girl pouted, about to control the lava giant to pursue the Grand Master, when the boulder that had flown to the horizon exploded with a bang, shattering into a sky full of dust.

Li Changshou suddenly felt an aura that was both familiar and strange.

Why familiar?

This aura came from the Human School's Senior Brother, whom Li Changshou knew well, the first powerful figure he had allied himself with; it was naturally beyond familiar.

But the strangeness... this was the first time the Grand Master had revealed such a level of Dao Realm pressure!

The little evil girl's lips curved slightly upward, her eyes full of triumph. The lava giant beneath her trembled a few times, and arms arched out from its back, hurling mountain-sized boulders at the Grand Master!

"Hmph!"

With a half-cold snort, the Grand Master's wide sleeves billowed. He lifted his left foot and immediately stomped it down heavily, a surge of black and white Dao韵 gushing out like a tide.

Suddenly, winds ceased and waves stilled between heaven and earth. The boulders hurtling through the starry sky simultaneously shattered!

"Bastard!"

The little evil girl cursed furiously, revealing her fierce nature. The entire world seemed to plunge into dark shadow as the impossibly massive lava giant directly stomped through the earth, leaping up with splashing lava!

The Grand Master's left arm was entwined with two masses of Yin and Yang energy. From an unknown distance, he opened his five fingers towards the lava giant and slowly pushed out a palm.

From the Grand Master's palm all the way to the lava giant, black and white Taiji Diagrams simultaneously condensed.

These parallel Taiji Diagrams ranged from small to large, with the final one directly eclipsing the entire lava giant...

The little evil girl shrieked sharply, and the lava giant let out a deep roar. Yet, the Grand Master remained unhurried, gently rotating his left palm and pushing it forward another half-inch.

Diagram after diagram of black and white Taiji were simultaneously activated. The final Taiji Diagram rotated slightly, and the immensely colossal lava giant instantly froze, paused, then disintegrated, transforming into a sky full of strange, suspended碎石.

The little evil girl was visibly flustered. Two wisps of Yin and Yang energy had appeared behind her at some unknown moment, condensing into the faint image of a Taiji Diagram...

Before she could react, the Yin and Yang energies restrained her once more, pulling her to adhere to the Taiji Diagram.

Just as she had been easily subdued by the Grand Master before...

In an instant, most of the gloomy, chilling sensation dissipated between heaven and earth, and the starry sky reappeared.

The Grand Master strolled through the scattered boulders with his hands behind his back, reaching the little evil girl in just a few steps, revealing a gentle smile.

With a flip of his right hand, that 'goodwill' orb of light...

Was still there...

"Come on," the Grand Master said softly, "give me a bit of your evil thoughts. I'll show you a very profound trick; just a little bit is enough."

"Scram!"

"Just cooperate for a bit, it's really interesting."

"Pfft!"

The Grand Master: ...

In the distance, Li Changshou looked up at the sky, sighed deeply, then looked at the seven Daoist masters with complex expressions, and said seriously, "Senior Brother bought us a quarter of an hour more, subduing the Incarnation of Evil earlier than expected. Everyone, Fairy Yunxiao and I will go assist Niangniang in releasing the other incarnations. Please wait patiently for the right moment!"

All the immortals assented, each holding their breath and concentrating.

Li Changshou made a 'please' gesture to Fairy Yunxiao. They exchanged smiles, then transformed into streaks of light and flew several thousand miles away from the little evil girl.

Yunxiao held the Primordial Golden Bucket in her palm and slowly released Little Sadness.

Wisps of flowing water sounds emerged, and the lava land below quickly solidified, transforming into a small silver lake. Little Sadness sat quietly in the center of the lake, her legs curled up, hugging her knees, burying her head and gently sobbing.

Throughout this world, waves of sobbing sounds immediately echoed...

Fairy Yunxiao stood in the air, her slender finger gently sweeping through it, scattering pink petals from the sky.

Li Changshou stood beside Little Sadness. Paper figures flew out from his sleeves. Several paper figures picked up swords, spears, sabers, and halberds, bouncing and sparring beside Little Sadness, emitting cries of "woo-wah." Several other paper figures transformed into fairy musicians in palace attire, playing lively melodies on wind, string, and percussion instruments.

After a while, Little Sadness tilted her head, watching the paper-cut figures' sparring, a bit lost in thought.

Li Changshou said softly, "The black cloth has fallen off."

Little Sadness instinctively clutched the pearl in her arms, but the black cloth on it was slowly dissipating.

She tightly closed her eyes, not daring to look inside. It wasn't until rays of golden light penetrated her thin eyelids that she cautiously opened her eyes, gazing at what was within the pearl.

Specks of shimmering light flew out, and in Little Sadness's eyes, they transformed into her happy smiles: gentle smiles, hearty laughter, lingering glances, and shyness.

"It really is joy..."

Little Sadness pursed her lips, murmuring softly, a slight smile unconsciously appearing at the corners of her mouth.

Li Changshou's finger reached from the side, accompanied by a soft "pardon me," and gently touched Little Sadness's forehead. A unique Dao韵 simultaneously appeared around both of them.

The earth gently trembled. The starry sky blazed with light. Four beams of light suddenly appeared in this world, illuminating the entire realm.

Thousands of miles away, Guang Chengzi softly shouted, "They've appeared!"

The immortals were about to advance, but suddenly heard a delicate giggle nearby. A cloud of pink mist drifted around them, causing the six Daoist masters to frown simultaneously.

"I shall handle this," Yu Ding Zhenren said.

Yu Ding Zhenren took two steps forward, his rather ordinary face filled with solemnity. He held up his Jade Cauldron in his right hand, from which rays of light emanated.

Guang Chengzi, Duo Bao Daoist, Golden Spirit Saint Mother, Zhao Gongming, and Taiyi Zhenren each transformed into streaks of light, heading separately towards the pillars of light on the horizon.

The Incarnation of Desire was about to make a move. Yu Ding Zhenren softly chanted, and waves of scripture chanting echoed around him. The pink mist was forced to converge, directly forming the graceful figure of the Incarnation of Desire.

Yu Ding Zhenren offered his Jade Cauldron, saying, "Fellow Daoist, please pass through my challenge."

"Just you?"

The Incarnation of Desire subtly curled her lips, calmly looking around. "It seems you came prepared today, indeed intending to eliminate us. I even showed you mercy before, thinking there was no point in killing you, but today... What do you desire?"

A gentle breeze rippled, and the Incarnation of Desire strangely vanished.

Yu Ding Zhenren slowly said, "Spontaneous manifestation, square and round perfection."

The Jade Cauldron shone brightly, and the figure of the Incarnation of Desire reappeared!

She was right in front of Yu Ding Zhenren, her slender finger extended, just three inches away from him, yet her body could not advance another fraction of an inch...

A hint of bewilderment was clearly visible on the Incarnation of Desire's face. "You can actually block me?"

"The dissection of the Seven Emotions is but the imprint of the heart; the Six Desires all originate from the heart."

Yu Ding Zhenren slowly closed his eyes. The surrounding chanting grew louder, and the Jade Cauldron appeared above the Incarnation of Desire's head, casting down rays of jade light, trapping her in place.

"This cauldron is my Dao heart."

Om—

The Jade Cauldron hummed softly. The Incarnation of Desire clutched her forehead with both hands, painfully crouching down. She was slowly being suppressed!

Thousands of miles away, Li Changshou, witnessing this scene, gained a slight understanding.

This Yu Ding Zhenren cultivated the 'Dao of Heart's Desire,' a path extremely difficult to achieve. No wonder Guang Chengzi brought him here.

For the Incarnation of Desire, this was truly her natural nemesis!

With his greatest concern dispelled, Li Changshou somewhat withdrew his attention. He looked down at Little Sadness, who was still clutching the pearl and sobbing, and smiled, "It's all right now."

"How could you do this to me... *sob*... I'm so miserable! And I'm even being used as a magical artifact to release other incarnations!"

Fairy Yunxiao slowly descended from the air and gently stroked Little Sadness's forehead.

Wisps of mist emanated from Yunxiao's fingertips, coiling around Little Sadness. These mists were like soft hands, massaging Little Sadness and helping her relax.

Li Changshou smiled, "How about I perform a play for you two?"

Immediately, two paper effigies flew out of his sleeve, transforming into two Daoists, who began to perform a previously prepared...

...Prehistoric crosstalk performance.

To cheer up Little Sadness, Li Changshou had already used the killer move he reserved for Nuwa Niangniang.

Yunxiao directly cast profound magic, soothing Little Sadness's Dao heart and comforting her empty spirit with her own gentleness.

Looking afar.

The Incarnation of Fear was enveloped in a mass of black energy, appearing like a contradictory two-sided entity—

One side was a humble, timid, weak being filled with terror, and the other was a demon of fear constantly roaring and howling, intending to spread fear to all living beings.

Yet, she could perfectly merge these two contradictory emotions.

The outer layer was an incredibly terrifying fear demon wrapped in black smoke, but inside the demon was a timid coward, weak and afraid of everything.

Old Zhao was, of course, completely fearless.

The Sea-Calming Divine Pearls directly immobilized the Incarnation of Fear, whose combat strength was not particularly high. Zhao Gongming then dispersed the black energy, approached the Incarnation of Fear, and from behind his back, pulled out the 'magic treasure' Li Changshou had given him.

"Close your eyes!"

Old Zhao coldly shouted. The Incarnation of Fear instinctively closed her eyes, but then immediately opened them...

"Ah!"

The bearded immortal in battle armor before her had now transformed into a green-faced, fanged demon!

The Incarnation of Fear burst into tears with a wail, nearly fainting from fright...

Old Zhao removed the mask, chuckled, and mumbled, "My brother was right, this one is the easiest to deal with."

Then he began preparing other masks.

At the same time, Taiyi Zhenren and Guang Chengzi acted together, suppressing the Incarnation of Wrath in another corner.

The Heaven-Overturning Seal transformed into a mountain, pressing down on the golden-haired girl who looked only fourteen or fifteen, leaving only her head visible.

Guang Chengzi said, "Go, Junior Brother Taiyi."

Taiyi Zhenren asked somewhat uncertainly, "Senior Brother, are you sure you can keep her suppressed later?"

"Naturally," Guang Chengzi replied with a smile, exuding the demeanor of a true master.

Taiyi Zhenren nodded, hands tucked into the sleeves of his red robe, and took two steps forward.

The golden-haired girl, who resembled the little evil girl and Little Sadness in appearance, immediately fixed her furious eyes on Taiyi Zhenren.

But Taiyi Zhenren only took two steps before retreating...

Guang Chengzi wondered, "Why did you retreat, Junior Brother?"

"This incarnation is too weak," Taiyi Zhenren shook his head. "How about we let her go deal with other incarnations? Bullying such a tiny thing is no fun."

Guang Chengzi: ...

"Who are you calling tiny?"

The Incarnation of Wrath demanded furiously, her entire body blazing with golden light. The Heaven-Overturning Seal pressing down on her trembled incessantly.

Taiyi Zhenren chuckled derisively, saying leisurely, "Aren't you a tiny thing even in this form? In the mortal world of humans, you'd just be a little blonde girl. As an incarnation of the Great Virtue Houtu, do you truly not feel ashamed of yourself? Look at Desire..."

*Crack, crack, crack!*

The golden-haired girl's entire body suddenly emitted crackling sounds. Golden light surged around her, and jade arms appeared from her back. The Heaven-Overturning Seal was actually being slowly pushed up!

"Who are you calling! TINY!"

Taiyi Zhenren's foot slipped, and he stood behind his Senior Brother, chuckling awkwardly. "Don't be self-conscious, believe in yourself. You'll grow up eventually, and there's transformation magic and such, right?"

"Aaaah—"

The Incarnation of Wrath let out a sharp shriek, and the Heaven-Overturning Seal was suddenly toppled over!

Guang Chengzi drew his sword and charged forward, engaging in fierce combat with the rampaging Incarnation of Wrath!

Witnessing this scene, Li Changshou couldn't help but start worrying...

With Taiyi Zhenren's mouth, even if the Chan and Jie Sects had no issues, they could still fight until blood flowed like rivers just by meeting!

Li Changshou took out a bamboo stick from his sleeve. The red line on the stick had almost reached the very bottom.

It was already Chen Shi (7-9 AM).

And at this moment, the only difficulty lay with Golden Spirit Saint Mother.

In a distant corner of this small world, Golden Spirit Saint Mother knelt on a sand dune, her slender hand supporting her forehead.

Golden Spirit Saint Mother was coldly beautiful and exquisitely fair. As a direct disciple of the Tongtian Sect Master, she possessed many powerful spirit treasures. Wherever she went, she typically wore a reserved expression, and rumors circulated throughout the Three Realms that she was not fond of smiling or talking...

Originally, when Golden Spirit Saint Mother was invited to the Underworld to help resolve Houtu Niangniang's Seven Emotions incarnation crisis, she had been prepared for a fierce battle.

Yet, for these past three days, she had listened to the newly risen Saint disciple of the Human School, the Heavenly Court Water God, continuously explain various details of the plan, and even arranged for her to practice some 'special techniques'.

Golden Spirit Saint Mother gradually realized...

This Water God was truly stable. He could plan to such an extent, not letting go of even a single detail!

And it seemed she had come to the wrong place this time.

There was simply no battle to be fought here.

At this moment, Taiyi Zhenren was being chased by Houtu's Incarnation of Wrath, and Daoist masters in other locations were already engaging with the Seven Emotions incarnations. The entire plan was steadily progressing.

What Golden Spirit Saint Mother had to face at this moment were two delicate, adorable little girls...

Their expectant gazes, their understanding eyes...

The two Seven Emotions incarnations she was responsible for showed no intention of fighting her at all.

When she arrived, the two little girls were already gathered together obediently, opening their mouths to say: "Are you the big sister who came to help us grow up fast?"

It nearly melted Golden Spirit Saint Mother's Dao heart.

What to do?

What else could be done? These were the Incarnations of Joy and Love, the 'good' among the Seven Emotions.

It was precisely because their power was too weak, and Sadness and Evil were too strong, that the power of the Seven Emotions became unbalanced, giving rise to the Seven Emotions Incarnations.

At this moment, it was absolutely crucial not to let Sadness and Joy, or Evil and Love, meet. Otherwise, these two little ones would be directly assimilated, and Houtu Niangniang would truly merge into the abyss of the Seven Emotions, never to be saved.

A hole opened in the ground, and Duo Bao Daoist leaped out, urging: "Junior Sister Golden Spirit, how is it going? The time is almost up."

*'Fine, I don't care anymore!'*

Golden Spirit Saint Mother lightly bit her lip, then suddenly... shaped her hands like claws, made a grotesque face, and let out a fierce "wah-woo" sound at the two little girls.

The two little girls first hugged each other tightly, then burst into laughter together, clutching each other and rolling around in mirth.

Golden Spirit Saint Mother continued making funny faces, and the two little girls laughed so hard they bent over backward, actually beginning to slowly grow taller at the same time...

From the side, Duo Bao Daoist frowned as he watched this scene, looking at the Golden Spirit Saint Mother's strenuous performance, a wave of emotion welling up in his heart.

He had never known that his Junior Sister had such a side to her!

He had always thought Junior Sister Golden Spirit only had her Dao heart as companion, possessing a fierce nature with a Dao heart as hard as rock!

Who would have thought...

*Sigh*, since Junior Sister had gone to such lengths, how could he, as her Senior Brother, stand by and do nothing!

"Watch closely!"

With a wave of his large hand, brilliant light shone across the sky. Piles of spirit treasures shimmered all around, and the two little girls let out cries of "wow, wow" in admiration.

Duo Bao Daoist suppressed the urge to take off his Daoist robe, leaped up, and began backstroking and butterflying through the piles of treasures, his slightly plump body constantly wiggling.

The two little girls burst into laughter again, but this time, 'Joy' grew a bit faster...

But Golden Spirit Saint Mother still couldn't help but secretly frown...

It seemed there wasn't enough time.

The growth of these two Seven Emotions incarnations was too slow now. Less than half an hour remained until the 'Seven Emotions Resonance' moment set by Li Changshou!

*Dong-dong-qiang—*

Gongs and drums?

'Great Virtue Houtu protects reincarnation. That is our destination after death, the beginning of our next life!''Houtu Niangniang lives long!''Houtu Niangniang lives as long as heaven and earth!'

Suddenly, Golden Spirit Saint Mother and Duo Bao Daoist heard waves of loud, continuous shouts.

This was...

Both looked up simultaneously, only to see a river of stars appearing in the sky, from which specks of starlight drifted down.

These specks of starlight converged directly towards the two little girls. Each speck contained a similar scene:

Bustling mortal cities, cheering men, women, and children lining the streets, clay statues of varying sizes being held aloft;In front of the statues, young girls walked barefoot, scattering petals;Behind the statues, suonas, large drums, gongs, and clappers vigorously played cheerful and lively melodies.

Chen Shi, one quarter past.

In the Southern Continent, wherever there was a Sea God Cult temple, statues of Houtu were carried through the streets...

In the two days prior, the entire Sea God Cult had mobilized completely, spreading the deeds of Great Virtue Houtu, gathering believers from all regions to nearby cities at this very moment to celebrate together.

Blessings upon blessings, prayers upon prayers...Eternal peace, endless joy, lasting tranquility, lives as long as heaven and earth, everlasting peace...

The two little girls stood amidst the falling starlight, staring blankly, each a bit lost in thought.

Bits of light merged into their bodies. The two slowly transformed, gradually growing into young women as the starlight continuously descended, each wiping away tears and smiling happily.

Golden Spirit Saint Mother sighed in relief, kneeling on the sand dune and smiling as she witnessed the scene.

Duo Bao Daoist laughed heartily several times, put away his numerous spirit treasures, and cast a look of admiration towards Li Changshou...

Soon, these two Seven Emotions incarnations temporarily gained strength comparable to the other incarnations.

Li Changshou looked at the bamboo stick in his palm; the red line had already touched the bottom!

The time had come.

Li Changshou looked down at Little Sadness before him, gently took a breath, with the Xuanhuang Pagoda above his head, he leaped up, soaring into the sky, a grass ring appearing in his palm.

Finding the place where the Seven Emotions balanced, the most gentle point of spiritual energy in this small world, Li Changshou slowly offered the grass ring.

Seven-colored light continuously flashed above the grass ring, and wisps of immortal light gathered beneath it.

Before the little evil girl, where the Taiji Diagram shimmered, the Grand Master was earnestly saying...

"Look at this ball covered by black cloth. The good and evil thoughts inside have now returned to chaos. What do you think will happen next? The chaos of emotions... hmm?"

Grand Master Xuandu paused his words, looking at the little evil girl, whose eyes were full of bewilderment. A beam of light, faintly black, flew out from her chest.

At the same instant...

The Incarnation of Desire, suppressed by Yu Ding Zhenren; the Incarnations of Love and Joy, before Golden Spirit Saint Mother;The Incarnation of Fear, terrified into tears by Zhao Gongming; the Incarnation of Wrath, chasing Taiyi Zhenren with fierce attacks and now trapped in a formation; the Incarnation of Sadness, beside Fairy Yunxiao...

Beams of light flew out from each of their chests. Their eyes glazed over with a hint of bewilderment, and they all simultaneously stopped their movements.

High in the sky, seven-colored light beams flew beneath the grass ring, merging into the immortal radiance. A phantom figure slowly condensed, clad in a simple light white long dress, floating with closed eyes...

Houtu!

Li Changshou bowed deeply in a Daoist salute and declared loudly: "Houtu's virtue, Heaven and Earth bear witness! Please, Houtu Niangniang, return to your rightful place!"

His voice resonated far, but Houtu's phantom showed no reaction, and the immortal light emanating from the grass ring began to dim.

Houtu Niangniang, as if in a dream, subtly furrowed her brow, a hint of pain appearing on her face.

Li Changshou looked up, a little anxious...

Didn't it come?

Was the timing wrong?

Or could those spiritual energies not reach here?

He took a deep breath, bowed deeply in a Daoist salute once more, and declared loudly: "Great Virtue Houtu, protect reincarnation; all living beings remember you, eternally unending!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than eight voices echoed from various directions. Grand Master Xuandu and the other masters all bowed in Daoist salute to Houtu, chanting these sixteen characters.

Suddenly!

Even more profound, more tumultuous, and louder shouts continuously reverberated throughout this world!

The river of stars projected by the Six Paths of Reincarnation erupted with dazzling light. Golden bubbles flowed upstream from within the stellar river, drifting down across various parts of the world.

Chen Shi, three quarters past.

Along the shores of the South and East Seas, in areas covered by the Sea God Cult, countless figures knelt before Houtu's statues, simultaneously chanting these sixteen characters.

By the Heavenly River in the Heavenly Court, Ao Yi and Bian Zhuang knelt on one knee, hands clasped together, and behind them, a hundred thousand soldiers simultaneously knelt on one knee!

Before the Tongming Hall, hundreds of Heavenly Court civil officials bowed in Daoist salute, following behind Duke Dongmu;At the five Heavenly Gates (East, South, West, North, Central), at the Jade Pool, and throughout the lower three heavens where Celestials resided...Within the Four Seas, inside and outside the Dragon Palaces, and in various sea tribe cities...

Figures, either kneeling on one knee or bowing in a Daoist salute, all simultaneously chanted these sixteen characters!

At the Immortal Ascension Sect, disciples who had gathered two hours in advance, like most other Immortal Sects of the Three Religions at this time, bowed and offered incense before the tablet inscribed with Great Virtue Houtu, chanting and shouting...

Great Virtue Houtu, protect our reincarnation;All living beings remember you, eternally unending.

In Northern Continent, Witch tribe members knelt on the ground, softly sobbing...

In the Underworld, Yama Kings, Judges, underworld escorts, ghost soldiers, and the souls about to enter the Reincarnation Plate all knelt, continuously shouting and calling out.

Even within the Three Thousand Worlds, similar scenes unfolded simultaneously. Streaks of golden light burst into the Netherworld, along with the golden light shining from the Five Great Continents, rushing into the Six Paths of Reincarnation!

On Spirit Mountain, several old Daoists looked angrily at the young Daoist seated beside Di Ting.

"Ksitigarbha, was it your order for our Western Buddhism's Incense God Sect to worship Houtu today?"

"Absurd! This is their Daoist sect's opportunity; aren't you helping them gain merit with this action?"

Ksitigarbha smiled helplessly, opened his eyes, and softly said, "This was Master's directive."

The old Daoists immediately shut their mouths.

Ksitigarbha sighed and added, "The Six Paths of Reincarnation are unrelated to the conflict between Daoism and the West. This action is merely to ensure that we, in the West, still have the destiny to contend with their Daoist sect in the future. Fellow Senior Brothers, Ksitigarbha will temporarily cultivate."

With that, the young Daoist closed his eyes, a hint of serenity on his face.

The old Daoists exchanged glances, then frowned and left.

The divine beast Di Ting wagged its tail, secretly rolled its eyes, and lay there, listening to the prayers of all beings, perfectly content.

Inside the Six Paths of Reincarnation:

Countless golden lights permeated the area. The original sea of sand and lava had transformed into rolling hills, covered with light green grass, and tiny white flowers slowly bloomed everywhere.

In the sky, Houtu Niangniang's figure had become incredibly solid;

She wore the grass ring on her head, her dark hair falling like a waterfall. Her ten fingers were clasped together over her chest, and she knelt in the high sky, murmuring softly.

She was bestowing blessings upon all living beings, and the aura emanating from around her was so gentle and peaceful.

In a corner of this world, Golden Spirit Saint Mother suddenly heard a call:

"Big Sister!"

Golden Spirit Saint Mother immediately turned around, the golden ornaments on her long dress jingling.

The two Seven Emotions incarnations, now resembling Houtu Niangniang herself—Love and Joy—simultaneously bowed in Daoist salute to Golden Spirit Saint Mother. They smiled and said, "Thank you."

Golden Spirit Saint Mother slightly shook her head and said, "Take care."

"Mhm," they softly agreed, their figures slowly ascending into the sky, flying towards Houtu Niangniang.

In the air, at the Grand Master's location.

"You just wait!"

The little evil girl gritted her teeth. "When I get out again, I'll definitely shave your head bald and carve a green-haired turtle on it!"

The Grand Master laughed freely, shook his head, secretly crushed the pearl in his hand, and retrieved the Taiji Diagram.

A beam of golden light shone forth, enveloping the little evil girl, who still wore a look of defiance, and slowly pulled her towards Houtu Niangniang in the sky...

In another corner.

"This, I apologize for any offense."

Zhao Gongming bowed in a Daoist salute to the Incarnation of Fear before him, took off his mask, and chuckled apologetically.

The Incarnation of Fear, now bound by golden light, visibly relaxed. She made a fierce grimace at Zhao Gongming, seemingly a retort for being startled more than ten times earlier.

In another corner, the Incarnation of Wrath, also bound by golden light, cursed at Taiyi Zhenren below:

"You just wait! Bastard! I'll beat you every time I see you!"

The bruised and swollen Taiyi Zhenren gave a devilish smile, then lowered his head and spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, his aura weak and listless.

In the direction where the nine immortals had entered this small world, Yu Ding Zhenren retrieved his Jade Cauldron, rose, bowed in a Daoist salute to the Incarnation of Desire, and softly said, "My apologies."

"Pah!"

As the Incarnation of Desire was carried away by the golden light, she continued to grumble and curse, muttering things like 'monsters,' 'they're all monsters.'

Following that, the divine senses of several immortals moved towards the location of the last incarnation.

Rays of golden light descended like chains, gently helping the sorrowful girl sitting on the ground to her feet.

"Sigh..."

Little Sadness softly sighed, raised a hand to wipe away the tears that had never ceased flowing from the corners of her eyes, and looking at Li Changshou and Fairy Yunxiao standing before her, whispered, "See? I couldn't go that far. Falsehood remains falsehood; what's wrong will be corrected. I'm the one being corrected."

Li Changshou showed a warm smile and slowly shook his head.

Little Sadness murmured as her body was slowly pulled up.

"Although I know you weren't doing this for me, these past few days... thank you. I talk too much, and it's all useless nonsense... Why am I so miserable? I knew this was my fate from the beginning. Because of you, I had some thoughts I shouldn't have had, but in the end, it still has to be this way, even though I knew... I knew..."

Yunxiao gently bit her lip and turned away.

Li Changshou calmly watched Little Sadness, slowly exhaled, and smiled, "By the way, do you have a name?"

"I... I'm just, just a segment of Houtu's Seven Emotions, a part of her thoughts."

"Then from now on, I'll just call you Little Sadness."

Li Changshou suddenly declared loudly, "My Daoist name is Chang Geng, a disciple of the Human School and the Heavenly Court's Water God. To have met you and considered you a fellow Daoist, to accomplish today's task together and assist Great Virtue Houtu, is a great fortune spanning three lives and an immense honor!"

"I, I..."

Little Sadness, already pulled into mid-air, continuously wiped away tears with the back of her hand. Her voice gradually failed her, yet she kept shouting, "I am Houtu, I am the sorrow given to Houtu by all living beings, my name is Houtu Little Sadness... To have met you and considered you a fellow Daoist... I!"

Golden light flared, and her figure, along with the other six incarnations, vanished into the air.

Li Changshou slowly exhaled, looking down at the pearl that had fallen before him. In his ears, it seemed he could hear that voice...

'It's joy.'

"Is she dumbfounded by sadness?"

Li Changshou picked up the pearl. "I tampered with this. That bit of your sadness was already melted away by me before it entered this pearl. It will always be joy."

A soft hand reached out from the side and gently took his arm.

Li Changshou whispered, "Don't worry, my Dao heart is extremely firm."

Yunxiao softly assented, but did not let go of Li Changshou's arm.

In the sky, the golden light slowly dissipated.

Seven pearls of different colors circled Houtu Niangniang. Wisps of the Seven Emotions' power returned to Houtu Niangniang herself, instantly neutralizing and resolving each other.

Suddenly, Houtu opened her eyes, which glittered with light. The seven pearls around her simultaneously shattered, and the seven incarnations, which had been unable to resist, reappeared as phantoms.

The Grand Master frowned and said, "Senior Houtu, please don't..."

"It's fine."

Houtu's eyes shimmered with a faint light as she gazed at the seven incarnations before her, which had already lost most of their Seven Emotions' power. A gentle smile appeared at the corners of her mouth.

She took off the grass ring from her head and softly said, "The suffering of all living beings, I shall bear; The grievances of all living beings, I shall endure; The hatred of all living beings, I shall tolerate. Why can't I embrace my own sorrow, evil, desire, joy, fear, love, and wrath?"

Grand Master Xuandu's brows gradually relaxed, and he smiled, "Senior, please decide for yourself. However, if you can't suppress them again next time, please let us know in advance."

"Mhm, thank you."

Houtu softly assented, her eyes filled with tenderness. Her slender fingers gently pushed the grass ring forward.

The Seven Emotions incarnations transformed into streaks of light, merging into the grass ring. The grass ring flew back into Houtu's arms, where she held it close to her chest.

"Be good from now on, okay?"