Chapter 459: Wenjing Reports, Bian Zhuang Gets Nervous

In Yuquan Mountain, Li Changshou, disguised as a minor Human School mage, discussed the Eight-Nine Arcane Art with two Chan School immortals.

In the back hall of the Sea God Temple, Li Changshou sat beneath the ethereal projection of the Taiji Diagram, observing the somewhat translucent figure before him.

The familiar blood-red long dress, the unchanged enchanting figure, the slightly curly long hair, and an inherently alluring expression made Li Changshou...

...frown.

Compared to Kong Xuan, the Mosquito Daoist was at a significant disadvantage.

Although both Kong Xuan and Wen Jing Daoist were fierce beings, Kong Xuan, being from the Phoenix clan, had already taken on responsibilities and could be called a 'hero'.

Wen Jing Daoist...

This queen was ruthless and cruel, originally a primordial fierce beast. Her past refusal to kill humans was solely due to her unwillingness to accumulate karma; the lives of all beings were as insignificant as weeds to her.

If it weren't for Wen Jing Daoist's ability to harm the Twelve-Grade Golden Lotus, and if this hadn't been foreseen by Grand Pure Master, Wen Jing Daoist should have met the same fate as Golden Cicada at this moment.

"Lord Sea God," Wen Jing Daoist bowed gracefully. Seeing the divine light flicker in Li Changshou's eyes, she inexplicably felt a surge of nervousness.

Wen Jing Daoist hastily explained, "My Lord, please don't be offended. I only dared to come see you when the opportunity was right, and absolutely no one detected me. I will now make an oath to the Grand Dao to prove my unwavering loyalty and devotion to you, a complete..."

"It's been years," Li Changshou said with a smile, "and your tongue has become quite quick."

As Li Changshou spoke with a smile, Wen Jing Daoist slightly relaxed.

Wen Jing Daoist's smile deliberately carried a hint of resentment. She softly said, "Times have changed. Lord Sea God, your cultivation has advanced by leaps and bounds. I admit I might have underestimated you before, but how could I dare to now?"

"When did my cultivation advance by leaps and bounds?"

Li Changshou calmly replied, "It's merely that I have an extra one or two supreme treasures of the Human School that I can borrow at any time."

Wen Jing Daoist was speechless.

Lord Sea God had always perfectly mastered the art of maintaining his demeanor.

Li Changshou raised his hand and pointed to a nearby seat, motioning for Wen Jing to sit and talk. He then proactively asked, "Did you risk coming here today for something important?"

"Oh, please," Wen Jing Daoist said, gracefully sitting down beside him. She covered her mouth and chuckled softly, "Not seeing you for a day feels like three years to me; I miss you dearly."

Li Changshou slightly frowned and whispered, "Wen Jing, do you understand your current position?"

Position?

Wen Jing Daoist's heart skipped a beat. She detected a warning and dissatisfaction in Li Changshou's words.

For some reason, Wen Jing Daoist's Dao heart couldn't help but tremble slightly.

Over the years, she had been silently observing and was well aware of the major events Li Changshou had accomplished.

Especially during the battle in Northern Continent, Li Changshou revealed his true Dao, single-handedly slaying over a dozen ancient great demons and the Demon Crown Prince Lu Ya.

What truly unnerved Wen Jing Daoist that day was not Li Changshou's sudden display of power, but the situation that had been erased from the rumors in the Primeval Desolation.

For Lord Sea God, the Sages had a brief exchange, with Grand Pure Sage's single word, "Begone," driving back the two Western Cult leaders.

At that time, Nuwa had even taken action, and Houtu had appeared!

From that moment, Wen Jing Daoist understood that this Heavenly Court Sea God, who had long held control over her vital point, was not someone to joke with, even for a moment.

In a sense, the calculating Sea God was more dangerous and left one more helpless than *that* man.

Unfortunately, this was pure powerlessness and despair, and Wen Jing Daoist had no desire to conquer him whatsoever.

Wen Jing Daoist immediately rose and bowed, explaining:

"Please don't blame me, My Lord. I was forced to......only then did I become their Sixth Protector, and took on the position of the fierce beast commander!My heart is truly with you, My Lord, and with the Human School. Please understand my sincerity!"

Li Changshou nodded imperceptibly, his heart also couldn't help but murmur to himself.

Wen Jing had already risen to a 'high-ranking' position in the Western Church?

He had merely intended to remind her to remember her identity as Archmage Xuandu's admirer and avoid saying such audacious things to him.

Their Master was watching from above, after all!

Wen Jing Daoist's destiny seemed to have been significantly altered.

It now seemed he should offer Wen Jing Daoist some benefits, so she wouldn't hesitate when it was time for her to act.

Li Changshou calmly said, "I am well aware of this matter; I was merely testing you.

Recently, Archmage Xuandu has been guarding Xuandu City against outer-realm heavenly demons and cannot currently split his attention. Once Archmage Xuandu returns to the Five Continents, I will arrange for you to meet again."

"Re-really?"

Wen Jing Daoist didn't know why her tongue quivered slightly, but her eyes were filled with excitement.

Li Changshou calmly nodded and added, "Since you wish to be close to my senior brother, when you speak with me, you must maintain proper decorum, understand boundaries, and avoid any inappropriate remarks. Do you understand?"

Wen Jing Daoist savored these words, utterly delighted. She nodded repeatedly in agreement and couldn't help but wipe the corner of her mouth.

"This subordinate thanks you, My Lord, for making this possible!"

Li Changshou pondered carefully in his heart, choosing his words for a moment before saying, "If this matter did not have Master's permission, I wouldn't dare to act on my own. You must seize this opportunity well."

Wen Jing Daoist's delicate body trembled slightly, and she almost knelt down to perform several grand bows toward the ethereal Taiji Diagram projection above her head.

Li Changshou calmly said, "Let's get down to business."

"Yes," Wen Jing Daoist softly replied, then couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle a few times before sitting back in her chair.

"My Lord, there will be major movements in the West."

"Oh?" Li Changshou raised an eyebrow. He did not interrupt, allowing Wen Jing Daoist to elaborate on what she was about to report.

Soon after, Li Changshou found it hard to stay still.

Fortunately, he had never underestimated the Western Church.

Just a few months prior, the Grand Patriarch of the Western Church, Daoist Jieyin, emerged from seclusion. He held a sermon on Spirit Mountain, imparting the Dao and various techniques to the disciples of the Sages. All important figures of Spirit Mountain were present.

Wen Jing Daoist was also summoned and listened to the sermon from the shadows, without revealing herself.

After the sermon, over a dozen influential Sage disciples of the Western Church, along with her, the fierce beast commander, and two other commanders from the Demon and Sea races, convened to discuss how to deal with the Great Tribulation.

During this discussion, the Western Church decided on two major matters.

First, they would rein in their influence within the Five Continents, ensuring all Western affiliates remained dormant. They would also proactively purge a group of great demons burdened with karma that they had previously harbored, harvesting merit from them to increase their sect's fortune.

Li Changshou was speechless.

When it came to ruthlessness, these individuals were truly unmatched.

In the past, the phrase "You are fated with our West" had caused many ancient demon elders to eagerly join the Western Church.

Now, with the Great Tribulation approaching, to lighten the burden on the Twelve-Grade Golden Lotus that suppressed the Western Church's destiny, they intended to directly eliminate these burdens to their fortune.

Even if it meant cutting off a finger, they would protect their overall fortune from collapsing.

Wen Jing Daoist whispered, "I will be responsible for this task. There are quite a few great demons to be exterminated, most of them hidden within the Three Thousand Worlds.

The Western Church's true intention, I fear, is to sacrifice some of us primordial fierce beasts as well.

My Lord, should we secretly recruit..."

"Don't overthink these things," Li Changshou firmly stated. "There's a reason for you to be hidden in the West; it's not for you to handle such trivial matters!

Remember, your priority right now is self-preservation. Even if you receive orders to kill me, you may freely kill my avatars. Do you understand?"

Wen Jing Daoist quickly lowered her head and replied, "Yes, I understand."

Li Changshou then asked, "What is the second matter?"

"The West has designs on the Underworld.

Their ambitions are considerable; I fear they intend to control aspects of the Six Paths of Reincarnation, or even establish a different form of reincarnation..."

Li Changshou chuckled, "Hold on, let me guess.

This scheme has been secretly orchestrated by the West for tens of thousands of years. It involves numerous Great Thousand Worlds within the Three Thousand Worlds, aiming to gather incense merit and intercept the human race's fortune. Is that correct?"

Wen Jing Daoist paused, then quietly asked:

"Do you have other informants?"

Li Changshou pointed to his left ear, then to his right ear, smiling without speaking.

Wen Jing Daoist seemed thoughtful, then quietly remarked:

"I was happy for several months, thinking I had uncovered this matter, but I never expected you already..."

Li Changshou smiled, opened his left hand, and a cloud of mist emerged from his palm.

The mist condensed into a rough shape of the Five Continents, shrinking to palm size. Around the Five Continents, more 'islands' formed, which then shrank into specks of starlight, slowly spreading outwards.

Among the starlight, many points flickered with red light.

Li Changshou deliberately intended to caution Wen Jing Daoist as he calmly explained:

"These are the Three Thousand Worlds currently under the direct or indirect control of the Western Church.

Their strategy is indeed clever: establishing incense-fueled divine kingdoms outside the Five Continents, then using incense merit to ward off tribulation and cultivate immortal soldiers.

Unfortunately, they have consistently underestimated the Daoist schools, treated humanity as mere puppets, and even plan to consolidate these incense-fueled divine kingdoms and spread their doctrines by controlling reincarnation...

It is both laughable and lamentable."

Wen Jing Daoist chuckled, "Since everything is within your grasp, Lord Sea God, then I am at ease."

Li Changshou said, "Continue to tell me what you know. I want to see if anything has been missed."

"Yes," Wen Jing Daoist bowed gracefully and resumed her earlier narration.

Half an hour later, Wen Jing Daoist's avatar dispersed into a bloody mist.

Li Changshou stood up, pacing back and forth, his eyes filled with contemplation.

My goodness, is the Western Church really this ruthless?

They've accumulated countless souls of ordinary mortals who have passed away in the Three Thousand Worlds, planning to establish a separate Hall of Reincarnation on the Sea of Blood?

If they were to use these souls to attack the Underworld, it would be easily resolved; the Heavenly Court could simply dispatch troops for timely reinforcement.

The trouble is, they plan to use a large number of souls to threaten the Underworld. Houtu, being so gentle, would never allow so many innocent souls to dissipate. She would certainly permit a new cycle of reincarnation to emerge or concede partial control over the Six Paths of Reincarnation.

What could the Heavenly Court do?

Directly dispatch troops to purge these souls?

That would be no different from slaughtering mortals!

Ultimately, the biggest problem at this moment was the numerous Great Thousand Worlds that had become the Western Church's trump card.

The West now intended to use this power to weather the Great Tribulation.

He mustn't panic; his thoughts needed to be clear.

Incense-fueled divine kingdoms...

Yes, he needed to fundamentally label these incense-fueled divine kingdoms as 'calamitous' and, by leveraging the power of the Heavenly Dao, dismantle the West's scheme.

After Wen Jing Daoist left, Li Changshou's paper avatar in Yuquan Mountain also quickly bid farewell.

Having confirmed that Yang Jian's growth path would develop as he anticipated, Li Changshou temporarily put the matter aside.

While he said he put it aside, he had actually made some preparations: he left over a dozen specialized communication talismans with True Immortal Yuding and buried several paper avatars near Yuquan Mountain.

Afterwards, Li Changshou secluded himself in a secret chamber on Little Qiong Peak. He summoned over a dozen blank scrolls and began to ponder deeply.

The Western Church had many capable individuals within its ranks.

The Western Church naturally knew that during the discussion of the Investiture of Gods at Zixiao Palace, they would certainly be targeted by the Daoist Sages and their disciples and wouldn't gain much. Therefore, they had shifted their focus elsewhere in advance.

Could gathering merit and the collective prayers of all beings truly allow them to overcome the Great Tribulation?

Li Changshou pondered carefully, then picked up his brush and drew a slingshot, beginning repeated deductions.

His assumption this time was slightly bolder, as he was, after all, an unofficial disciple of a Sage who had studied the Dao at the Grand Pure Temple.

Uh, why did it feel a bit like being an illegitimate child...

If I were a Western Sage, how would I break this deadlock?

Youqin Xuanya had recovered from her injuries after half a month of recuperation at the Sea God's Mansion, thanks to Longji's care.

However, Youqin Xuanya remained silent, not uttering a single word.

It wasn't until the appointed time for Li Changshou's visit that she revealed a slight smile and called out:

"Lord Sea God."

Longji, standing nearby, blinked her eyes, catching a faint, unusual scent.

Longji whispered, "Teacher, I'll head back now."

"Thank you for your effort."

"No trouble at all, no trouble," Longji chuckled, made a face at Li Changshou, and turned to slip away.

But a "Wait a moment" chased after her. Longji blinked and turned her head.

Li Changshou held a wrapped parcel in his hand and chuckled:

"This contains the strategies you'll be studying for the next six months. Your lessons cannot be neglected, not even for a moment."

Longji's small face instantly became a picture of misery. She snatched the parcel, stomping her foot lightly in frustration.

"I know! You just love to bully people!"

Watching Longji gloomily ride away on a cloud, Li Changshou chuckled and shook his head.

Youqin Xuanya sat on the bed, looking up at Li Changshou. Her long eyelashes gently fluttered as she quietly asked:

"Lord Sea God, did everything go smoothly?"

"It went well," Li Changshou turned around and smiled, "From now on, you can cultivate peacefully in the Sea God's Mansion. I have some prestige in the Heavenly Court, so no one will disturb this place.

If I need you to step forward for any promotional matters, I will notify you in advance.

You can also go into seclusion whenever you wish; cultivation is paramount. Don't forget there's still the Golden Immortal Tribulation ahead."

"Understood!"

Youqin Xuanya stood up. Dressed in a light white palace dress, her long hair cascaded like a waterfall, encircled by a faint immortal glow, making her breathtakingly beautiful.

Li Changshou continued, "The morning assembly is currently underway in the High Heavens Palace. I'll take you for a walk by the Heavenly River, and we'll go pay respects to His Majesty the Jade Emperor after the assembly concludes.

Please tidy yourself up a bit; we mustn't be disrespectful."

"Master... Lord Sea God, do you not need to attend the morning assembly?" Youqin Xuanya asked with a hint of curiosity.

Li Changshou smiled, "The Jade Emperor has granted me special permission. Unless it's a major affair, I don't need to appear."

Youqin Xuanya blinked. Although she didn't fully grasp the exact meaning, she felt it sounded incredibly impressive.

Li Changshou went outside to wait, sealing the wing room with immortal power.

Youqin Xuanya quickly prepared herself, changing into her favorite ice-blue long dress, paired with golden-embroidered cloud fabric boots, and tying her hair into a simple, neat, and charming ponytail.

The Heavenly Soldiers and Generals throughout the Sea God's Mansion couldn't help but glance at her an extra time or two.

Youqin Xuanya stepped forward and bowed to Li Changshou. Li Changshou then summoned a cloud and took her flying out of the Sea God's Mansion, heading towards the Heavenly River.

Along the way, Youqin Xuanya began to somewhat understand the extent of her Senior Brother Changshou's power in the Heavenly Court.

Every Heavenly Soldier and General they encountered along the way stopped their clouds from a distance, bowed uniformly with clasped fists, while Senior Brother Changshou merely nodded in response.

Even when they met one or two Heavenly Immortals or Gods of extraordinary bearing, those individuals would be the first to perform a Daoist bow. Some even took a significant detour, pretending to coincidentally meet them, approaching to greet and exchange a few words.

Li Changshou had long grown accustomed to this, but as Youqin Xuanya observed it, her thoughts became quite complex.

If one were to ask what was most tormenting in the world, it would surely be a woman's thoughts.

Upon reaching the Heavenly River, Li Changshou had Youqin Xuanya wait at a distance while he proceeded directly to the Heavenly Soldier training ground.

He summoned Bian Zhuang, led him to a secluded corner, and calmly set up over a dozen layers of immortal energy barriers.

Bian Zhuang was speechless.

He was genuinely terrified, yet he truly dared not resist.

"L-Lord Sea God," Bian Zhuang's Adam's apple quivered, "I swear I harbored absolutely no inappropriate thoughts about that female immortal you brought back to the Heavenly Court!

My heart is currently solely dedicated to Fairy Heng'e. I am willing to make an oath to the Grand Dao!"

Li Changshou smiled kindly, "Don't be nervous. Don't I know your character?

Little Zhuang."

"Yes, My Lord, please speak."

"I recall you have a Sky's Edge Pavilion at your residence, do you not?"

Bian Zhuang was utterly bewildered but quickly nodded, "Yes, yes."

Li Changshou chuckled, "Will you take me for a visit tomorrow?"

Bian Zhuang paused, then suddenly realized something. His legs trembled, and he dropped to his knees with a thud.

"Lord Sea God, please spare this humble general! If word gets out that I took you to the Sky's Edge Pavilion, I fear I'll be pulverized by all the immortal ladies and mighty figures!"

"All" the immortal ladies and mighty figures? What on earth was that?