Chapter 407: The Grand Mage's Honorable Gift

By the Heavenly River, the Water Army was practicing formations, with two deputy commanders overseeing from the side.

"Brother Yi, when do you think we'll get a chance to lead troops into demon territory and show them what we're made of?"

Since the Heavenly River Water Army was under the Water God's command, and the Water God usually left them to their own devices, real authority lay in the hands of the deputy commanders.

Bian Zhuang, lazily chewing on a spiritual herb, lay on the grassy slope by the river, hands clasped behind his head. With a relaxed expression on his handsome face, he casually posed the question.

Beside him, Ao Yi, who was meditating, didn't even open his eyes as he casually replied:

"Half a month ago, during the discussion in Tongming Hall, the Sect Master and Duke Mu decided on a strategy of attrition. Until the demon race is completely worn down, it's unlikely you or I will have a chance to intervene directly."

"I see... *sigh*..."

Bian Zhuang exhaled contentedly, a slightly mischievous smile playing on his lips, and murmured: "What is the Heavenly Court? Today, I've finally seen it with my own eyes. The Hall of Marriages has reportedly tied over a dozen red strings, and the mud figure of a Heavenly Immortal realm demon exploded the day before yesterday – perhaps killed by a rival demon king. It's a shame the Hall of Marriages can't interfere with the marriages of Immortals of Longevity; otherwise, what would there be to fear from the demon race? Just a few red strings would sort them out. Tsk, tsk, tsk, and the official in charge of morning and evening glow was even more extreme, directly displaying the Proclamation Against Demons in the clouds for all demons to see. I wonder if most of them can even read. And do you know what the most brilliant part is, Brother Yi?"

"No," Ao Yi replied flatly, clearly not in the mood for conversation.

"Hahaha! It was the Plague Department that caused the demon soldiers to run around clutching their bellies, then be splattered with filth while trying to relieve themselves! The Northern Continent border is quite lively now, overflowing with... fragrance! Hahaha!"

Ao Yi first offered a helpless smile, then shook his head with a sigh: "The Heavenly Court using the authority of its various departments to deplete the demon race's strength — no one had ever thought of that before. I wonder if doing this will affect the Heavenly Court's fortune."

"Don't worry, if we can think of a problem, how could Lord Water God and Duke Mu not have thought of it?"

Bian Zhuang laughed, "Divine officials are constantly monitoring the changes in the Heavenly Dao, and according to them, this action will not only have no negative impact but will also slightly deepen the Heavenly Court's influence on the Heavenly Dao's operation, precisely because the righteous gods of the Heavenly Court are frequently exercising their authority. Truly, I admire my Water God and your Sect Master more and more."

"Mmm," Ao Yi's smile instantly became much more genuine.

It was as if... as long as you praised the Water God, they were good brothers.

Just then, a white cloud drifted from afar. Bian Zhuang looked up, immediately shivered, and quickly stood up.

"Oh! Lord Water God and the Matchmaker are here!"

Ao Yi, however, was quite calm. Having already detected the two figures with his immortal sense, he waited calmly for a moment before rising to greet them, shouting in unison with Bian Zhuang:

"Greetings, Lord Water God!"

Above the Heavenly River, the Heavenly Soldiers and Generals also stopped what they were doing and bowed to the two old immortals on the cloud.

Li Changshou waved his hand, signaling them to continue as usual, then brought the Matchmaker straight down to land in front of Bian Zhuang and Ao Yi.

"Matchmaker, look," Li Changshou chuckled, "the expert on this matter is right here."

Following Li Changshou's gaze, the Matchmaker saw Bian Zhuang and couldn't help but frown, muttering:

"Water God, although Deputy Commander Bian Zhuang is a bit... libertine, and his red strings change three times a day at most, he doesn't actually have any true, lasting connections..."

Li Changshou laughed, "Besides Deputy Commander Bian Zhuang, the Heavenly Court doesn't have many talents who can casually change red strings. Matchmaker, you'll just have to make do with him."

"Well, alright then."

The Matchmaker sighed, a hint of reluctance in his voice.

Bian Zhuang, who was still bowing his head, couldn't help but be moved to tears. Although he felt somewhat offended to his face, a thrill ran through him deep down.

After being in the Heavenly Court for so long, he could finally connect with the Matchmaker!

"Deputy Commander Bian Zhuang," the Matchmaker said, producing a blank scroll and an immortal pen, and showing a faint smile, "I have a few questions for you. I hope you will answer them truthfully, according to your own experience. Suppose, *ahem*, Deputy Commander Bian, you took a fancy to a beautiful woman, but she is married, and her husband has the same Heavenly Immortal realm cultivation as you... How would you go about poaching her?"

"Uh," Bian Zhuang frowned, "can we actually do something like that?"

Li Changshou chuckled, "It's just a hypothetical. Deputy Commander Bian, with your virtuous character and proper conduct, you would naturally never do such a thing. This is for official Heavenly Court business. In our plan to disrupt the demon race, many demon kings are too naive; their red strings are firmly tied, but they don't dare to speak up. I was thinking, if we could give them a set of methods for poaching partners, it would accelerate internal strife among the demons. Deputy Commander Bian, this is a heavy responsibility, and we hope you'll impart all your knowledge."

Hearing Lord Water God's heartfelt words, Bian Zhuang's back gradually straightened. His entire being seemed to radiate a sacred light, his left eye representing duty and his right eye responsibility, as he solemnly said:

"Matchmaker, please wait a moment, allow me to organize my thoughts!"

"Excellent!"

The Matchmaker raised his pen, focused his mind, and waited quietly.

Li Changshou's eyes crinkled in a smile as he turned to admire the Heavenly River's scenery, watching its waters surge above the clouds. He imagined what it must have been like when Mount Buzhou collapsed, and the Heavenly River's waters poured down into the sky...

"Sect Master Brother," Ao Yi leaned in and whispered, "won't utilizing the Heavenly Court's divine authority in this manner lead to any hidden dangers?"

"Hmm?" Li Changshou smiled. "Normally, if the Matchmaker tied red strings indiscriminately, he would suffer backlash from the power of the Heavenly Dao. But these are extraordinary times. With orders issued in the Queen Mother's name, specifically targeting the demon race that issued a proclamation against the Heavenly Court, the Matchmaker won't be punished by the Heavenly Dao. In fact, the more he does, the more he disrupts the demon race, the more merit he will receive. This is righteous justification, and it's the meaning of form and rules. By issuing this proclamation, the demon race has already entered a bizarre cycle of resisting the Heavenly Dao, destined only for defeat. But how they fall is up to us."

Ao Yi's face showed dawning realization. After a moment of careful thought, he asked again, "Aren't the demons just seeking their own demise?"

Li Changshou stood with his hands behind his back and slowly said:

"It's not that the demon race is seeking its own demise, but rather that the higher-ranking demon kings within the demon race, or perhaps Daoist Lu Ya himself, want to use this opportunity to purge most of the remaining demon forces, thereby reducing the threat they themselves face. The Heavenly Court is on the cusp of great prosperity. While humanity's strength is dispersed among various immortal sects and restrained by Daoist schools, the remaining demon forces from the ancient demon court are a major concern for His Majesty the Jade Emperor. If the demon race doesn't take this path now, in a hundred or three hundred years, when the Heavenly Court's soldiers are plentiful and its experts have grown in number, the demon race will still be wiped out. The decision to issue this proclamation against the Heavenly Court at this time proves that there are indeed highly knowledgeable individuals within the demon race who can discern the grand trends of heaven and earth, and they should not be underestimated."

Ao Yi pondered for a while longer, gradually digesting these words. Just as he was about to ask another question...

"Ahem!" Bian Zhuang clasped his hands, his eyes gleaming with confidence. "Matchmaker, please feel free to ask. This humble general is ready."

"Then, Deputy Commander Bian, please tell us: if you were a demon king and took a fancy to another demon king's wife, how would you go about getting to know her?"

"Naturally, one must first visit his cave several times, befriend the demon king, and display one's own charm. When the time is right, one should find a way to send the demon king away, meet his wife alone, create an atmosphere, and speak gently. Proceeding gradually in this manner, one observes the lady's reaction."

The Matchmaker's lips twitched, but he diligently wrote it all down.

The Matchmaker asked again, "What kind of gentle words? Could Deputy Commander Bian impart a few phrases?"

Bian Zhuang's face flushed, but he quickly composed himself, regaining his sense of mission and responsibility.

"Well, *ahem*, this is actually quite shameful. Poaching someone's partner is ultimately wrong. I just... have a friend who is an expert in this field. I've heard him explain it in detail. Generally, it involves using sweet talk. More advanced techniques involve a progressive process, like this: *Ahem!* 'My Lady, I know this is wrong, against common sense, but I simply cannot hide my admiration for you. The moonlight is so beautiful tonight, and looking at you, I feel as if I am in the Moon Palace. May I meet you a few more times? Even if it's just to talk like this. My Lady, your whole life, I only ask to borrow one night.' Like that..."

To the side, Ao Yi and Li Changshou's foreheads were lined with dark disapproval, but the Matchmaker diligently wrote down every word.

Bian Zhuang continued to speak eloquently, inventing friends and offering various strategies.

The man and the dragon beside him turned away in unspoken understanding.

Li Changshou took a porcelain bottle and handed it to Ao Yi, making a throat-slitting gesture at him.

Ao Yi nodded in understanding, calmly put away the bottle, then felt a little reluctant and transmitted:

"Sect Master Brother, after all, we're the ones who asked him to say it. Wouldn't it be a bit inappropriate to just beat him up like that?"

No sooner had he spoken than he heard Bian Zhuang chime in from behind:

"If the affair is exposed, you can also shamelessly argue your case, shouting to the demon king who caught you: 'What you've lost is just your dignity and face as a male demon, but what your wife has lost is her true, destined marriage!' That should pretty much guarantee an endless feud."

Ao Yi silently drew his treasured sword, a fierce light emanating from his long dragon eyes. Li Changshou quickly intervened to stop him.

Such a talent as Senior Brother Bian Zhuang might still be very useful in the future; he couldn't be "castrated" just like that.

Bian Zhuang, who was busy developing new ideas nearby, inexplicably shivered a few times, but his sense of mission and honor were currently overriding, so he paid it no mind and continued to chatter on with the Matchmaker.

It was uncertain how long the demon race in the Northern Continent could hold out.

For six months after Lu Ya issued the proclamation against the Heavenly Court, Li Changshou had been busy there. Only when the Heavenly Court's various departments were back on track, and the recruitment of Heavenly Soldiers and selection of Heavenly Generals resumed normalcy, did he gradually withdraw.

He arranged for several paper avatars to monitor the situation underground in the Northern Continent, also checking the 'achievements' of the Heavenly Court's various immortals and gods.

In the first six months, the Hall of Marriages achieved the most significant results.

It tied red strings for single demon kings, eroding their fighting spirit and making them preoccupied; it also tied red strings for married demon kings and their wives, leading to dozens of couples feuding, and even causing casualties among more than ten young demon kings. Besides the Hall of Marriages, the next most successful was the Hall of Thunder Punishment, followed by the Hall of Divine Might and the Hall of Divine Latrines.

At the Northern Continent border, the seasons were out of whack, the demon gathering places became barren and their spiritual energy gradually muddied. Heavenly thunder rumbled incessantly, and heavenly fires rolled, while the evening glow in the west often displayed phrases like 'The demon race will perish', 'The demon race is unjust', 'Those who do much evil will destroy themselves', and 'Fighting the Heavenly Court is a dead end', putting the demon race under considerable pressure.

By this point, the lesser demons with low cultivation had little morale left, and other beings steered clear.

In the miasma of the Northern Continent, Witch Clan hunters frequently appeared, and to the south, the various immortal sects in the northern part of Central Divine Continent jointly sealed the border, preventing the demon race from setting foot in Central Divine Continent.

Fortunately, demon forces from other borders continuously provided reinforcements to the anti-Heavenly Court demon army in the Northern Continent, allowing them to hold on.

In just six months, numerous rifts had appeared within the demon race, though they were suppressed by the ancient demons.

Li Changshou never managed to track Daoist Lu Ya's whereabouts, and after half a year of monitoring, he also hadn't heard of any strategists emerging among the demon race. This left Li Changshou feeling a bit puzzled.

Did Lu Ya come up with this tactic himself? It just didn't feel like it.

On Little Qiong Peak, Li Changshou withdrew most of his attention and opened his eyes from his quiet meditation in the bamboo grove.

Glancing at the lively card and chess room, Li Changshou couldn't help but chuckle.

It was rare for everyone to be there. Ling'e, who had just emerged from seclusion, and Youqin Xuanya were also in the room, chatting over tea and playing zither and chess. Grand-aunt Jiang Liner, Aunt Jiu Jiu, and Aunt Jiu Yushi were fiercely engaged in a card game.

Li Changshou flew on a cloud to the spirit beast enclosure, checked on the secluded Xiong Lingli, then used a voice transmission to call Ling'e and Youqin Xuanya out of the pavilion. He also took the opportunity to share some Heavenly Court matters with Ling'e.

"Senior Brother!" "Senior Brother Changshou."

With two soft calls, Ling'e and Youqin Xuanya simultaneously flew over on clouds, their robes fluttering, both exquisitely beautiful yet each possessing her own unique charm.

Ling'e was like a piece of pure, flawless white jade, her hair styled in an elegant flowing cloud bun. Her pure white inner bustier and light green silk long gown embroidered with orchids, paired with a light white waist-length ruqun skirt that resembled sheer gauze, made her figure beautiful beyond mere shapeliness.

Youqin Xuanya, on the other hand, wore her preferred icy-blue long gown, her long hair tied in a ponytail. Her snowy white swan neck and almost perfect lines complemented each other, but even such a figure could not overshadow her clear and beautiful face.

Although, for Li Changshou, both could be summarized with one phrase... simply pleasing to the eye.

Li Changshou set up a barrier around the three of them. Glancing at his sensing stone and the jade talismans on his two junior sisters that blocked spiritual probing, he spoke directly:

"Xuanya, how far are you from the Heavenly Immortal realm?"

*Xuanya?* Ling'e blinked. *When did Senior Brother get so familiar with Senior Sister Youqin?*

Youqin Xuanya said, "It will take at least ten or more years of seclusion... Senior Brother Changshou, is my cultivation progress too slow?"

"Cultivation isn't about speed; you've worked very hard," Li Changshou said gently, taking out two bottles of elixirs from his robe and handing them to Youqin Xuanya with immortal power.

"These are elixirs that enhance cultivation and strengthen the connection between Qi Refiners and the Grand Dao. You can only take one every ten years. Don't be impatient; cultivate step by step, and achieve as many breakthroughs as you can with these."

Li Changshou admonished her with a touch of worry, then asked, "Have either of you heard that war is about to break out between the demon race and the Heavenly Court?"

"I've heard about it," Ling'e said. "Many senior uncles and aunts in the sect have been talking about it; I often hear about it through the Wind Whispers Spell."

Youqin Xuanya asked, "Does the Heavenly Court need manpower?"

"Exactly, but there's no immediate rush," Li Changshou said. "The Heavenly Court is currently in its nascent stage. I want to train you, Xuanya, to become a respected Heavenly Court hero, which requires you to have the Heavenly Immortal realm cultivation as support. Currently, Heavenly Soldiers and Generals are predominantly male, but in terms of Qi Refiner strength, men and women are equally balanced. If the Heavenly Court could produce a valiant female general who stands equal to men, it would greatly benefit the Heavenly Court."

Hearing this, Youqin Xuanya pursed her lips, clasped her hands, bowed her head, and firmly stated, "Xuanya will certainly not disappoint Senior Brother!"

"Good!"

The leadership of female Qi Refiners in the Great Desolation depends on you! Of course, he couldn't say that out loud.

Li Changshou then asked, "Ling'e, how are your preparations for your experiential training?"

"Uh... isn't that in twelve years... *hee hee*, Senior Brother, can you really bear to send me out to face this cold Great Desolation?"

Li Changshou nodded. "Yes, I can, and very much so..."

Before he could finish, the three of them suddenly heard a greeting by their ears:

"Ling'e is going out for training? That's good news."

*Grand Master!*

Li Changshou turned his head and saw a rotating Taiji Diagram appear beside them. He certainly couldn't mistake the power of the Primal Chaos Supreme Treasure, the Taiji Diagram.

The Grand Master's voice emanated from it: "Chang Geng, bring your two junior sisters over. Guess what your senior brother has brought you?"

Li Changshou's forehead was filled with question marks. He gave Ling'e and Xuanya a few words of caution about etiquette before leading them into the Taiji Diagram, directly arriving at the river valley near Du Xian Sect.

In the card and chess room, Jiu Jiu glanced in the direction of the spirit beast enclosure and muttered:

"How did they suddenly disappear?"

"Are you missing them?" Jiang Liner smiled, her eyes narrowed. "If you miss them, go see for yourself, a pair of Heavenly Immortals!"

"Grand-aunt, you already played two Heavenly Immortals just now," Jiu Yushi said faintly, "and I still have one here."

"Ah, really? Hahahaha! I certainly wasn't cheating!"