Chapter 414: This Child Can't Even Get Into Trouble Right

"Uncle-Master Yuding is so annoying..." This voice continuously echoed in Li Changshou's ears, lingering for a while.

This overly delicate Lingzhuzi; that fearless little Nezha who stabbed his father with a spear, stirred the East Sea with his Celestial Silk, and beat the old Dragon King with his Universe Ring... What exactly has this child gone through?

By Laozi above, could it be that Lingzhuzi's personality changed so drastically after just one reincarnation? Lingzhuzi's reincarnation didn't pass through the Six Paths Reincarnation Disc. After becoming Nezha, it seems only his memories vanished; his cultivation from the Lingzhuzi period should still be there. Logically, his personality shouldn't have changed much...

This was the first time Li Changshou felt he couldn't quite grasp the intricacies of this Primordial World and the Great God-Conferring Tribulation.

"Chang Geng, you're known among the Three Religions for your many ideas." Taiyi grabbed the arm of Li Changshou's paper effigy. "Consider it a favor I owe you; help me come up with an idea."

Li Changshou pondered for a moment, then calmly nodded and said, "Regarding your son—no, regarding Nephew Lingzhuzi—why does it need to be explained to the Saint Master?"

Taiyi Zhenren sighed, leading Li Changshou into the cave dwelling as he explained: "This disciple of mine was originally a precious pearl nurtured in the treasure pond of Kunlun Mountain. Since ancient times, it has absorbed the essence of the sun and moon, gradually gaining sentience. Its origins are pure, and its talent is exceptional; if it could transform, it would achieve the Primordial Spirit of Purity and Bliss. My master bestowed the spiritual pearl upon me, instructing me to help it transform and take it as a disciple. After three millennia of nurturing, it transformed one day into a child appearing five or six years old. Alas—"

Taiyi Zhenren let out a long sigh: "Initially, I didn't think much of it. As he was a boy formed from a spiritual pearl, it was reasonable that he had neither masculine nor feminine aura. But gradually, I discovered his personality was quite soft."

As they spoke, Li Changshou and Yuding Zhenren had already followed Taiyi Zhenren into the Golden Light Cave. Taiyi Zhenren didn't need to invite them, and they didn't stand on ceremony, immediately sitting around a stone table.

Li Changshou considered for a moment, then asked, "Could you give a detailed example?"

Taiyi Zhenren thought for a bit and said, "It was during his fifth year after transformation..."

On a hillside in Mount Qianyuan, amidst shallow grass and wildflowers stretching across the landscape, a handsome young Daoist sat meditating in the sunlight. Not far away, a delicate child was continuously trying to catch butterflies with his small hands.

As he chased, the boy let out a cry. The young Daoist opened his eyes and his forehead immediately darkened.

The child was crouching on the ground, carefully holding a butterfly in his hands. He blew a breath of immortal energy onto the butterfly and softly said, "I'm sorry, I hurt you."

The little butterfly gently flapped its wings, then slowly flew up, circling around the child. The child's laughter rang out like silver bells.

Just then! Whoosh—a dark shadow descended from the sky. It was a large foot, which landed directly in front of the boy.

The young Daoist's forehead twitched with a visible vein. He growled, "Is this how a true man plays with butterflies?"

The child's mouth flattened, his eyes watering. "Mas—Master... you'll scare the little butterfly."

"Scare?" The young Daoist smiled faintly, his eyes seeming to form a triangle shape, glinting with malicious light. Raising his left hand, a wisp of immortal light bloomed from his fingertips. The young Daoist calmly said, "Today I'll show you how a real man plays! Yin-Yang Finger! Second Finger! Third Finger!"

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh! Several streaks of light shot past the butterfly, which frantically flapped its wings. The child, terrified, covered his mouth and cried loudly.

The young Daoist continued to chase the butterfly from behind, sending out streaks of light from his fingertips, and letting out bursts of wild laughter...

Taiyi Zhenren paused in his narration, looking at the two Daoist immortals in front of him, who were clenching their fists and reaching for their magic treasures. He discreetly moved his stool back.

"What are you two junior brothers doing? This humble Daoist was merely trying to guide Lingzhuzi back to the right path!"

The small cauldron in Yuding Zhenren's hand vibrated slightly. He glared at Taiyi Zhenren, then withdrew his cauldron. Li Changshou also put away his Map of Yu's Flood Control. Seeing that Yuding Zhenren was about to act, he had initially intended to intervene and earn some goodwill.

Yuding Zhenren said, "Senior Brother, Lingzhuzi's personality is a direct result of your actions."

"No, no, no," Taiyi Zhenren shook his head repeatedly. "This personality is innate. This humble Daoist merely wanted to provoke him into protecting the butterfly and developing some responsibility. Chang Geng, do you have any ideas?"

Li Changshou said, "Could we see what Nephew Lingzhuzi is doing right now?"

"Very well," Taiyi Zhenren agreed without much hesitation. He drew a small stream of water from a treasure pond within his cave dwelling, which formed a water mirror, showing Lingzhuzi's current situation.

Li Changshou thought: *Why are you so practiced at this?*

Lingzhuzi was currently lying motionless on a bed, clutching a thin blanket.

Yuding Zhenren asked with concern, "What happened?"

"He's probably feeling discouraged," Taiyi Zhenren said, raising a hand to his forehead. "You'll see in a moment... here he comes."

No sooner had Taiyi Zhenren finished speaking than a sigh emanated from the water mirror. Lingzhuzi lifted his head from under the blanket, revealing a delicate, tear-streaked face that was nonetheless filled with determination.

At this time, Lingzhuzi was equivalent to an eighteen or nineteen-year-old human. His height wasn't low, but his physique was somewhat slender. His face couldn't be called feminine, but as a reincarnated spiritual pearl, his spiritual aura was indeed a bit too abundant.

He flipped off the bed and walked to a standing mirror. He pursed his lips, looked at his reflection, and then made an expression of glaring and frowning. *Hmm, if not for that slight puffing of his cheeks, it would indeed look quite imposing.*

Lingzhuzi then sighed despondently. He stood in front of the mirror, dispirited for a moment, then cheered up. He placed his hands on his hips, puffed out his chest, raised his head, and waved a small hand forward, declaring in a crisp voice, "I am Lingzhuzi, disciple of Taiyi Zhenren of Mount Qianyuan! Demons and ghosts, retreat quickly! *Ugh... I'm quite imposing too, you know.*"

In the cave dwelling's reception hall, dozens of feet away, Taiyi Zhenren dispelled the water mirror and couldn't help but sigh, looking up, "What was that 'ugh' for!"

Li Changshou chuckled beside him, "Although Senior Brother might not like hearing this, Lingzhuzi's current state is quite fine. As Qi Refiners, why must we cling to masculine vigor? Some male beings are naturally gentle and delicate, while some female beings are naturally fierce and unrestrained. All of this is reasonable, and we should be tolerant. As long as we don't unduly celebrate such contrasts, there won't be any major issues."

Yuding Zhenren slowly nodded, saying in a deep voice, "Junior Brother Chang Geng's words are logical."

"Logical what? He's not your disciple, so you're not worried!"

Taiyi Zhenren sighed, "His personality has already affected his cultivation progress. In the future, he might very well be hindered by his own disposition. This humble Daoist secretly arranged several trials for him, and each time he showed indecisiveness and excessive kindness. When faced with difficulties, he'd get scared and cry, unable to respond effectively. How can he survive in the Primordial World like this? He can't just cultivate in his cave for several kalpas without going out, can he? Furthermore, with such a personality, even if he achieves the Dao Fruit of Longevity, he might be killed by a Heavenly Immortal if he ventures outside!"

Li Changshou considered carefully... *So, this is the root cause of your bullying of Lady Shiji?* However, a Chan Sect expert like Taiyi Zhenren, with his sense of crisis and understanding of striking first, could indeed be called a ruthless individual... even if his cultivation was a bit lacking compared to truly ruthless figures.

Yuding Zhenren said, "A gentle and kind nature is not a fault. Nowadays, who in this world doesn't know of the Three Religions? The external situation Lingzhuzi will face is completely different from when we ventured through the Primordial World."

Taiyi Zhenren shook his head repeatedly. "Junior Brother, one must nip evil in the bud and prepare for the unexpected. If we don't stay vigilant, he will surely suffer losses in the future. In any case, this humble Daoist is Lingzhuzi's master, and I am determined to correct his personality! Chang Geng, do you have any brilliant ideas?"

Li Changshou pondered for a moment, sitting there in quiet thought.

Taiyi Zhenren waited for a while, then whispered, "I can't help but feel you're not thinking about how to help Lingzhuzi, but rather how to extort something from this humble Daoist."

"How can Senior Brother say that?" Li Changshou frowned. "How could I be someone who acts only for profit? If I were, how could Senior Brother Xuandu trust me?"

Yuding Zhenren cast an appreciative glance from the side.

Unexpectedly, Li Changshou's tone shifted: "However, if Senior Brother Taiyi insists on offering some recompense for the favor, it would be rude of me to refuse, wouldn't it? It would be disrespectful to Senior Brother."

Taiyi Zhenren laughed heartily, "No need, your senior brother doesn't bother with such superficial things as saving face."

"Alas, personality is predetermined by nature," Li Changshou said with a sympathetic expression...

"Alright, alright, alright!" Taiyi Zhenren said with a laugh and a playful scold, "What kind of favor do you want? I'll grant it, won't I?"

The sympathy on Li Changshou's face immediately transformed into a warm smile. He slowly said, "However, personality can also be improved through postnatal influence. If we come up with some methods and proceed gradually, it should be effective."

Taiyi Zhenren asked, "Then what kind of favor do you want?"

Li Changshou thought for a moment and chuckled, "It's the favor of asking Senior Brother to either act or refrain from acting when a situation requires assistance."

Taiyi Zhenren smiled casually, "Even without this matter concerning your nephew, if you had a request and came to my Mount Qianyuan, would I turn you away?"

"Good," Li Changshou and Taiyi Zhenren exchanged a glance, both smiling.

Yuding Zhenren shook his head, carrying his stone stool a little further away from the two immortals.

Taiyi Zhenren then asked, "What brilliant plan does Chang Geng have, after all?"

"This is a bit complicated," Li Changshou said. "Please allow me half a day to prepare, then we can discuss it, Senior Brother."

Hearing this, most of Taiyi Zhenren's worries subsided, and he thanked Li Changshou.

Li Changshou closed his eyes, withdrawing most of his consciousness back to his true body. He unrolled a scroll and began to ponder carefully.

Li Changshou had never tried to change someone's personality before, but he knew it couldn't be done overnight; it required a gradual process.

Therefore, what he needed to do was devise a long-term plan.

The promise of a favor Li Changshou received from Taiyi Zhenren today was actually to gain more 'initiative' in Nezha's story when the Great God-Conferring Tribulation arrived.

Taiyi Zhenren burning Lady Shiji was considered one of the earlier direct conflicts between the two sects during the Great God-Conferring Tribulation. However, Lady Shiji didn't have deep roots in the Jie Sect; she was merely a loose immortal and didn't provoke much reaction from the Jie Sect.

Even so, it could still be exploited by those with ulterior motives... A single spark can start a prairie fire. If Lady Shiji was a kind-hearted person, Li Changshou, considering probing the Heavenly Dao's bottom line, would try to save her then.

Changing the Heavenly Dao's script is not so easy. Could he put more effort into Lingzhuzi's personality? Although he didn't know how much it would affect Nezha in later generations, it was worth a try.

Thinking of this, Li Changshou's pen flowed as if guided by a divine hand. A long arrow pointing from right to left appeared on the scroll, with various options marked above and below it.

Two hours later, outside the card room on Little Qiong Peak, Li Changshou arrived, holding a jade slip for notes.

Inside the pavilion, Ling'e, Jiang Lin'er, and Jiuyu Shi immediately concealed their cards. Although they didn't know why, these women, spanning three generations, all felt a little guilty at that moment.

"Grand-Ancestor, Uncle-Master." Li Changshou bowed, then entered the room with a smile, getting straight to the point: "My main reason for coming this time is to ask Grand-Ancestor a small question."

Jiang Lin'er pointed at the tip of her nose, a bit bewildered. "Me?"

Li Changshou said, "Precisely. After much thought, this question is most appropriate for Grand-Ancestor."

"Your sudden question makes this Grand-Ancestor quite uncomfortable," Jiang Lin'er said, immediately sitting up straight. Yet, feeling a bit awkward, she lifted her left foot and placed it on the armrest of the circular chair, her skirt falling loosely. "Ask away!"

"Grand-Ancestor," Li Changshou asked with a serious expression, "Back when Grand-Ancestor first left the Immortal Ascension Sect to venture outside, your personality must have been outwardly gentle but inwardly firm, possessing an unyielding drive to train and fight fiercely to reach the Heavenly Immortal realm, correct?"

Jiang Lin'er blinked. "That's right."

"Then, what exactly happened?" Li Changshou asked, puzzled. "What caused Grand-Ancestor's personality to change from outwardly gentle and inwardly firm to... consistent both inside and out?"

"Ah, about that," Jiang Lin'er hummed softly, pinching her smooth chin. Above her head, larger and larger bubbles seemed to appear, within which various scenes flickered. It was from when she first ventured out: a time when her small team of rogue cultivators, having just slain some demons and monsters, had received a large reward and divided the spoils. A group of battle-hardened rogue cultivators gathered to drink and chat.

"Linjiang, are you dressed as a man? You look so delicate!" "How could that be! I haven't used any illusion spells!" Jiang Lin'er patted her chest, and her companions immediately cast trusting glances, continuing to drink heavily and eat heartily.

"Uh..." Jiang Lin'er put a hand to her forehead. She was, after all, a married woman now, living a happy and fulfilling life. It was best not to mention these embarrassing past events.

Li Changshou chuckled, "I think I understand now. Thank you, Grand-Ancestor."

"Hey! What do you understand?" Jiang Lin'er exclaimed, standing up with a bang of the table. She yelled, "I wasn't constantly drinking and fighting with a bunch of men! When I cultivated and slept, I was always separate from them!"

Ling'e and Jiuyu Shi exchanged glances, each covering their mouths to suppress a chuckle.

"Yes, yes, this disciple wasn't thinking anything inappropriate." Li Changshou nodded with a smile, writing a note in his jade slip: *He who gets close to vermilion gets stained red; he who gets close to ink gets stained black. Companions are very important.*

Afterwards, Li Changshou asked, "Grand-Ancestor, what quality do you think is most precious in a man, distinguishing him from women?"

"Hmm?" Jiang Lin'er thought for a moment. "Responsibility."

"Responsibility... Uncle-Master Yu Shi, what about you?"

Jiuyu Shi also thought seriously for a while, then softly said, "To be able to handle things independently."

Li Changshou diligently noted this down. He then looked at Ling'e, turning to leave.

"Senior Brother, aren't you going to ask me?"

"No need. Your answer is already known to your senior brother."

"Oh, come on, Senior Brother, just ask! It might be different from what you're thinking... It's prudence, prudence is most important, Senior Brother! *Sigh*, he flew away."

Ling'e sighed wistfully, drawing another round of laughter and cheerful voices from the card room.

A short while later, Li Changshou paused at the spirit beast enclosure and asked Xiong Lingli the same question. Xiong Lingli then flexed her recently somewhat inflated muscles for a moment.

"He must be stronger than me!"

Li Changshou nodded with a smile, almost crushing the jade slip.

Not long after, Li Changshou's paper effigy set out, conducting investigations everywhere.

In the Heavenly Court, he questioned Long Ji, the fairies of the Jade Pool, and the generals of the Water God's Residence. At the Sea God Temple, he interviewed divine envoys, temple caretakers, and some elderly mortals.

Finally, he organized and refined the answers he gathered, filling in the gaps in his plan and modifying some details, before presenting this comprehensive plan to Taiyi Zhenren.

—Essentially, it involved throwing Lingzhuzi into a group of Heavenly Soldiers and Generals to be influenced for a period.

Taiyi Zhenren was quite excited. He raised his hand, took hold of Li Changshou's arm, and sighed, "My precious disciple, I'm entrusting him to you for now, Junior Brother!"

"Don't worry, Senior Brother, I will do my best." Li Changshou calmly agreed, then added, "Later, when Senior Brother tells Nephew Lingzhuzi about this, you don't need to say too much. Just say... this is the necessary cultivation to become a truly great man."

"Understood, I'll follow your advice, Junior Brother. We must make him bolder, not timid," Taiyi Zhenren stated firmly. "Even if he's a little reckless, it's fine! This child has been soft-natured since he was little, he can't even get into trouble!"

A few dark lines appeared on Li Changshou's forehead. He was almost convinced.