Chapter 470: Steady as the Wind, Always Accompanying Longevity

"Don't stop me! I'm going to beat this scoundrel to death!"

Inside the Six Paths Reincarnation Disk, ten figures had just stabilized when a faint, ethereal shadow lunged forward, striking True Immortal Taiyi, whose immortal body was still restrained, with lightning speed.

Fortunately, True Immortal Yuding and Li Changshou acted swiftly. The former lightly tapped a finger, while the latter summoned a wisp of Taiji Diagram's Dao essence, instantly freezing the incoming ethereal shadow.

"Don't be mischievous."

A soft sigh drifted from afar. In the hazy distance, a slender hand seemed to gently sway, grasping a floating grass ring.

The immortals then heard a few more voices:"Oh, it's so hard for us. We finally get someone in, and we get locked up just for saying hello.""Hmm, that annoying silent cauldron is back. Last time, we got tangled up, but we still haven't settled who's superior.""I'm going to beat this foul-mouthed scoundrel to death! He won't grow anymore!"

The immortals couldn't help but smile faintly.

Li Changshou secretly observed Kong Xuan's reaction, noting that the formidable figure was curiously examining the situation within the Six Paths Reincarnation Disk, showing no unusual behavior. Meanwhile, True Immortal Huanglong, who had been absent from the last major battle, now seemed like an outsider, a little unaccustomed to the atmosphere here.

A white figure appeared in the distance; Empress Houtu stepped forward, standing atop a hill a hundred zhang away, and gently nodded to the immortals.

Daoist Duobao called out, "Greetings, Empress Houtu!" The Daoist masters all bowed in unison, and Kong Xuan also cupped his hands and nodded in greeting.

"There's no need for such formality," Houtu said softly, her voice gentle. "Have you all come today concerning the tremor of the Great Dao deep within the Sea of Blood?"

Li Changshou asked, "Does Your Ladyship know the specifics of this matter?"

A hint of helplessness appeared in Houtu's eyes as she said, "A Saint has acted, moving the Dao of Reincarnation while I was unprepared... I fear this matter is already difficult to stop."

Zhao Gongming solemnly asked, "Does Your Ladyship know the Western Church's exact scheme?"

Houtu replied, "It seems they intend to establish another reincarnation system to solidify their own destiny."

Li Changshou lowered his gaze in thought, then asked, "Your Ladyship, when did the seven emotions first lose control?"

Houtu showed a look of recollection and said, "Having been here for so long, I've lost the sense of time's passage. It must have been a very long time ago."

Duobao frowned and countered, "Chang Geng, do you suspect that the Western Church already made a move against the Underworld?"

"Precisely," Li Changshou said, taking out several image-recording orbs from his sleeve and slowly pushing them forward. The orbs simultaneously projected streams of light.

Three thousand worlds, endless divine kingdoms. Mortals praying, merits filling the sky. Those present were no ordinary beings, and Li Changshou had already explained the inside story. Yet, seeing these images now, they were still somewhat shaken.

"Heh," Kong Xuan chuckled softly. "A great sect."

Houtu frowned deeply, watching the scene of living beings prostrating themselves, but asked, "Do all these believers engage in labor, farming, gathering, or hunting?"

"Yes," Li Changshou slowly nodded. "However, the believers all think that what they gain from farming and gathering is bestowed by immortal gods. Those who preach this doctrine in the mortal world claim to be emissaries of immortal gods, but are actually mortals, yet they receive offerings. All sorts of so-called merits, and mortals are treated like cattle and straw."

Houtu then asked, "In ancient times, the human race understood the principle that 'Heaven's will is but human words.' Why do they still believe in these things now?"

"Currently, humanity is divided between immortals and mortals. Qi Refiners consider themselves refined and regard the mundane world as a place of defilement, so it cannot be discussed in the same breath as ancient times." Li Changshou sighed softly and added: "The Human Emperor is difficult to manifest, and even if the Human Emperor's destiny gathers, it would only be in the Southern Jambu Continent, unable to influence the scattered three thousand worlds. The Dao Sect, in this way, has been exploited by the Western Church."

The Daoist masters nearby showed thoughtful expressions. Li Changshou made his point and stopped, not saying much more. Some matters cannot be changed simply by vast magical powers; they require careful calculation and long-term planning.

Subsequently, he steered the conversation back to the main topic of the day, stating firmly: "Although the Western Church has not yet attacked the Dao Sect, if they succeed today, with their divine kingdoms as a base during the Great Tribulation, immortal soldiers will be endless and masters will emerge continuously, leading to almost infinite future troubles. Esteemed senior brothers and sisters, as a disciple of the Dao Sect, I do not wish to see it weaken. My master previously summoned me to the Grand Pure Temple for three years of cultivation, and stopping the Western Church's current rise is also my master's intention. Empress Houtu, I venture to ask one more thing: If the Western Church threatens us with the countless souls accumulated in their divine kingdoms, would Your Ladyship agree to establish a second reincarnation system?"

Houtu stood on the lush green hillside, silent.

Kong Xuan snorted from beside her, "If one seeks benevolence for a moment but thereby causes countless beings to be controlled by such incense-worshipping divine kingdoms in the future, it's merely losing the greater for the lesser. Why hesitate?"

True Immortal Yuding, however, said, "All souls are the imprints of living beings. Empress Houtu, with her great virtue, naturally cannot bear it."

Holy Mother Golden Spirit's eyes showed a hint of coldness as she said, "If you all don't wish to be the villains, then I shall deal with those wraiths when the time comes."

"With the Great Tribulation upon us, Junior Sister, do not commit acts of killing, lest you incur karma and be exploited by the tribulations." Daoist Duobao said this, then continued to ponder with a frown.

True Immortal Huanglong quietly asked, "Could it be... that I am the only one who doesn't know exactly what we are supposed to do?"

Li Changshou chuckled helplessly and transmitted a few words of explanation. The Western Church was secretly constructing a new reincarnation system. Once the Hall of Reincarnation was complete, they would undoubtedly release the mortal souls accumulated over tens of thousands of years in their incense-worshipping divine kingdoms. The most difficult part now was how to accommodate those countless souls if Li Changshou and his allies were to act and destroy the Western Church's newly established Hall of Reincarnation. These souls, protected by the Western Church with incense merits and secret arts, had endured long ages and might already be very fragile. If they could not reincarnate in time, they would quickly dissipate... Gentle as Houtu was, she naturally wouldn't want to see such a tragedy occur. And this was precisely what the Western Church intended to exploit. In Li Changshou's eyes, the most crucial point in this game was Empress Houtu's stance. As long as Empress Houtu firmly stood behind them and refused to acknowledge the Western Church's Hall of Reincarnation, the rest would just be a matter of combat.

True Immortal Taiyi, who had just been released from his restraints, muttered beside them: "This is the Western Church's doing. Why are we agonizing over it?" The grass ring Empress Houtu wore gently trembled, and True Immortal Taiyi instinctively recoiled half a step, positioning himself behind True Immortal Yuding.

Li Changshou smiled and said, "Your Ladyship, if I can properly settle these souls, would Your Ladyship then have no more reservations?"

"How would you settle them?"

"The best strategy is to conquer the Sea of Blood, giving the Western Underworld no chance to establish itself. However, this is tantamount to a full-scale war with the Western Church, making it difficult to achieve. The middle strategy is to act in time before they release these countless souls, rescue them, and then arrange for them to enter the Six Paths of Reincarnation as quickly as possible. The worst strategy is to do our best."

Yunxiao, who had consistently appeared like an outsider, couldn't help but chuckle at the phrase 'do our best.' Even he had moments when he couldn't think of everything.

Zhao Gongming said, "The Sea-Calming Divine Pearl could be tried."

Daoist Duobao fumbled in his sleeve for a moment, then quickly pulled out a pile of items: burlap sacks, treasured bottles, basins, precious pearls, and more, all usable for nourishing souls and preserving spirits... "Everyone take some. When the time comes, rescue as many as you can. Do your best."

Empress Houtu said gently, "Things in the world are always difficult to perfect. While the best and middle strategies would be ideal, there's no need to force or demand too much. The incense-worshipping divine kingdoms imprison living beings; this is a great harm. I ask you all to consider this matter not just from the perspective of the Dao Sect, but also from the side of all living beings. Is there anything I need to do?"

Li Changshou cupped his hands and bowed, saying, "Your Ladyship only needs to refuse to recognize a second reincarnation system; leave the rest to us."

"Hmm," Houtu gently nodded, raised her hand to remove the grass ring from her head, and pushed it forward. The grass ring slowly rotated, floated towards Li Changshou, shrank to the size of a bracelet, and settled onto Li Changshou's wrist.

Houtu said, "Use it well."

"Your Ladyship, rest assured," Li Changshou cupped his hands and bowed in a Daoist salute, showing no emotion. Turning around, he bowed to the masters present.

Including Kong Xuan, all nine masters returned the salute in unison.

Holy Mother Golden Spirit said, "Stop your chatter! You are skilled at strategizing; we are all convinced. Just give us the direct orders."

"Then I shall be so bold," Li Changshou said, taking a glazed pagoda from his right sleeve.

Zhao Gongming chuckled, "This pagoda looks familiar."

Kong Xuan also smiled slightly, recalling that night... of ganging up to put out the lamp.

"Esteemed senior brothers and sisters, and Daoist friend Kong Xuan, please bear with me for a moment and wait inside this pagoda. Allow me to scout thoroughly. Once I've gathered enough information and formulated a detailed plan, we will seize the right opportunity to launch a sudden attack and catch them off guard!"

The immortals successively praised his words, all considering it a stable plan.

Duobao and the other immortals flew into the glazed pagoda one by one, with Yunxiao and Kong Xuan last.

Fairy Yunxiao, feeling a little uneasy, asked, "Why don't I stay outside with you?"

"No need," Li Changshou said earnestly. "Don't worry. If it's about success, I only have about a fifty percent chance. But if it's about survival, I barely have a ninety-eight percent chance this time."

"Hmm," Yunxiao gently nodded, her eyes still holding a hint of worry, and she urged him a few more times not to overexert himself.

Li Changshou naturally agreed with a smile.

Kong Xuan, on the other hand, said nothing more and entered a separate level within the glazed pagoda, not mixing with the others.

Subsequently, under Empress Houtu's somewhat curious gaze, Li Changshou sat cross-legged on the ground and began to busy himself.

No matter how high one's cultivation, one cannot be blindly confident in one's divine abilities. There's always a higher mountain, and even the most exquisite illusion spells and transformation arts cannot deceive the 'divine eyes' of those with higher cultivation. Li Changshou used the Taiji Diagram's Dao essence to conceal himself, briefly restoring his true appearance, then took out an eyebrow pencil and cosmetics, and began to meticulously draw. Why had he studied painting back then? One reason was to "set the makeup" for his paper effigies, and the other was to disguise his true body. Today, he happened to use this great technique!

In just a moment, he had "physically" changed his face, achieving a seventy to eighty percent resemblance to Daoist Lu Ya's true appearance.

Next, Li Changshou took two jade bottles from his sleeve. From them, he poured out the Golden Crow blood he had extracted from his robes on the day of the Northern Continent War, turning these bloodstains into auras that coiled around his entire body. Immediately after, he mixed strands of Solar True Flames with these auras. (Solar True Flames were not only the Golden Crow's innate divine ability but could also be collected from the core of the Sun Star, and there were already reserves stored in the Tushita Palace for alchemy.) Then...

He took out the large purple-white gourd of the Immortal-Slaying Flying Knife and put it on his back, changed into a brown Daoist robe, and then used a transformation art to become a hunched old Daoist.

Thus, the four layers of disguise at the bottom were complete.

Li Changshou turned around, retracted the Taiji Diagram's Dao essence, cupped his hands to the somewhat stunned Empress Houtu, and smiled: "Your Ladyship, could you silently send me outside Fengdu City? Preferably directly through Fengdu City's great array."

"Hmm," Houtu agreed, but couldn't help but ask, "You... this..."

"Just a necessary disguise," Li Changshou chuckled. "Daoist Lu Ya has already died by my hand, but the Golden Crow race is skilled in fire abilities and are divine avian creatures. If I am discovered, I can use the Phoenix Clan's Nirvana technique to deceive them."

"So that's how it is." For some reason, Empress Houtu's voice carried a hint of uncertainty.

Inside the glazed pagoda, the Daoist masters and Kong Xuan, who witnessed this scene, also had varied expressions.

Kong Xuan, alone on his level, twitched his lips slightly. He tried to hold it in, but eventually burst into laughter. Meanwhile, the Daoist masters on the same level couldn't help but offer their slight opinions on Li Changshou's way of doing things...

Daoist Duobao chuckled, "Being an enemy of Chang Geng is truly a big bother."

Holy Mother Golden Spirit said, "This is a bit too... I don't know how to describe it."

"Chang Geng acts meticulously and cautiously; he is a model for our generation!" Zhao Gongming naturally praised him profusely.

True Immortal Taiyi, hands in his sleeves, shrugged: "This poor Daoist thinks you might have misunderstood. He's probably just plain scared of dying." Yunxiao's gaze swept over, her brows slightly furrowing... True Immortal Taiyi, for some unknown reason, felt his legs go soft and instinctively sat down cross-legged, adding spontaneously: "However, when it comes to major matters of right and wrong, Chang Geng is never ambiguous!"

True Immortal Yuding nodded with a smile, while Duobao and Zhao Gongming of the Jie Sect secretly exchanged glances, their eyes crinkling with amusement.

Then, from outside the pagoda, Li Changshou's disguised, aged voice could be heard: "Your Ladyship, please wait a moment. I shall first cast a transformation spell."

All the masters simultaneously peered outside, watching as Li Changshou transformed into an Asura girl with silver hair and red eyes, a common sight in the Sea of Blood. This girl then added another layer of transformation, turning into a thumb-sized lizard, which then became transparent, completely concealing its aura.

The immortals and Houtu couldn't help but simultaneously raise their hands to their foreheads.

The small lizard turned its head, scurried a few steps, and quickly darted into the colorful halo ahead, disappearing with a whoosh...

At this moment, within Li Changshou's mind, Tower Master chuckled and chided: "Little disciple, what are you doing? Master put Big Brother Diagram on your head precisely so you could fight without restraint! But you, you call for people and disguise yourself—this is just too damaging to our Grand Pure One's prestige. Just go straight into the depths of the Sea of Blood. Big Brother Diagram and I will act together. What if that damn Seven Treasures Tree comes?"

The True Mighty Cosmic Ruler chimed in, "Exactly, exactly!"

A voice, difficult to distinguish as yin or yang, asked in Li Changshou's mind: "Why invite so many Daoist disciples?"

Li Changshou chuckled twice in his mind and retorted: "If a Western Saint is guarding that second Hall of Reincarnation, with everyone's protection and Master's patronage, I might be able to retreat unscathed, but wouldn't this matter then have no further turning point?"

Tower Master dismissed this, "A Saint secretly manipulating the Great Dao is understandable, but personally acting as a guard?"

"No one can say for sure," the Taiji Diagram unexpectedly agreed with this.

Tower Master chuckled, "If Big Brother Diagram says so, then it is. What Master appreciates most about the little disciple is his steady way of doing things, isn't it? However, these Saint disciples alone are no match for a Saint."

Li Changshou smiled. The small lizard he had transformed into swiftly scurried through the void, disappearing into the depths of the Sea of Blood. Some things couldn't be explained to others; he understood them himself. All his arrangements at this moment, all the masters he had invited, were merely to ensure a momentary delay if he suddenly encountered a sneak attack from a Saint, allowing his own Saint Master to arrive. With the Taiji Diagram, the Xuanhuang Pagoda, and the Cosmic Ruler; coupled with Kong Xuan's Five-Colored Divine Light, Old Man Zhao's Sea-Calming Divine Pearl, Fairy Yunxiao's Primordial Golden Dipper, Holy Mother Golden Spirit's Dragon-Tiger Ruyi Scepter, Daoist Duobao's 'King's Treasure Vault', True Immortal Yuding's Cauldron, and True Immortal Taiyi's mouth... His chances of survival when encountering a Saint, by any calculation, were ninety-eight percent. Glancing at the grass ring on his wrist and feeling the quiet flow of the seven emotions within it, Empress Houtu had also given him a measure of strength for survival.

Li Changshou had actually added another layer of caution. He had deliberately invited True Immortal Huanglong, not because True Immortal Huanglong was an honest dragon, but purely because... this one was a hidden lucky star! In the original Investiture of the Gods calamity, Huanglong had been captured so many times, hung at the Shang army's camp gate, and whipped by his ponytail so many times, yet he didn't die, did he?

Changshou's superstition.