Chapter 478: Sanctuary River Appears · Second Reincarnation

Below the Sea of Blood, several streams of light darted back and forth, crushing fierce beasts into dust. Large groups of Asuras gathered in various spots, peering out beyond the Sea of Blood, not daring to show their faces. The imposing presence of five masters — Daoist Duobao, Zhao Gongming, Immortal Mother Jin Ling, Immortal Yunxiao, Perfected Yuding — suppressed the entire Sea of Blood. Any Asura masters discovered approaching were either warned off or directly struck down.

On the edge of the Sea of Blood, Li Changshou sat cross-legged on a cloud. A touch of sorrow, a hint of worry. Before him stood a three-zhang-tall pagoda, still with 360 layers, but now it was dim and lusterless, with cracks appearing at its base. Beneath him were vast expanses of ethereal figures, like willow catkins in spring, bewildered and bereft of spiritual light, with less than seven days of existence remaining. One might say they were even more fragile than willow catkins.

As the mad and foolish old Daoist of the Western Sect had said, at least eighty percent of these souls would not last beyond seven days. Furthermore, due to years of 'delay,' their true spirits, if not nourished by the power of living beings, were on the verge of shattering. Reincarnation was their only path to survival. Yet, this path, now before Li Changshou, was largely cut off.

Fortunately, although the Sea of Blood was a confluence of foul springs and its turbid power tended to sink downwards, it posed no significant harm to the souls at present. Why not simply cast them directly into the Six Paths of Reincarnation? The Six Paths of Reincarnation was not merely about throwing souls into the Reincarnation Disk. The Six Paths Reincarnation Disk, the Book of Life and Death, and the Judge's Brush formed an entire system of reincarnation; souls had to pass through this system before they could be reborn. This meant there was always a 'processing limit.' No matter how one calculated, even with the Six Paths Reincarnation Disk operating at full power, it could only reincarnate one tenth of the souls present. Moreover, the Six Paths Reincarnation Disk was currently blocked.

However, the Reincarnation Pagoda was different. It was divided into 360 layers, top and bottom, and was not restricted by the Book of Life and Death. Each layer could be used as a 'path,' with the points of rebirth being the various Human Incense God Nations. If the Western Sect had controlled the Reincarnation Pagoda and integrated it into their reincarnation system, it would have been equivalent to completely controlling those Human Incense God Nations, trapping living beings and using them as merit-gathering artifacts. Now, the Western Sect's scheme had been foiled.

Li Changshou, representing the Heavenly Court, had already negotiated terms with the Western Sect's Sage Jieyin. But unexpectedly, a single foolish old Daoist had turned the entire conflict into a loss for everyone. This also once again proved that the '0.2' he had always been wary of truly existed. Even at this stage, the Primordial World remained extremely perilous.

Incidentally, Immortal Mother Jin Ling, acting in anger, only managed to slay the old Daoist, while a small portion of his primordial spirit was rescued by the Western Sect. But that fellow's fate would likely be utterly miserable. The Reincarnation Pagoda was shattered by someone from the Western Sect, and these souls were victims of the Western Sect's schemes, all of whom were humans, the current protagonists of Heaven and Earth. Every single soul here, if allowed to dissipate, would become a portion of the Western Sect's karma. The Western Sect had long since entered the tribulation; today was merely the Heavenly Dao leveraging the situation to plot against the West. Anyone from the Western Sect who appeared today would have to bear this karma. With so many living beings, so many human souls, it was uncertain if the Twelve-Petaled Golden Lotus could withstand it.

However, the Heavenly Dao is merciless, yet it allows all things to be born. So many human souls could be casually used as a catalyst to push the Western Sect into tribulation. In the quietest corner of his heart, he thought: This is truly unbalanced.

Activating his Void Enlightenment Dao Heart, he entered a sage's moment. A faint Dao charm swirled around Li Changshou as he sat, silently pondering. This problem was truly difficult to solve.

A white figure flew in from the side, robes and long hair gently fluttering, alighting behind Li Changshou. Li Changshou asked, "Where are the people from the Western Sect?" Yunxiao softly replied, "They've all left the Netherworld, claiming to return to Spirit Mountain to devise countermeasures, but there's no need to rely on them."

"These fellows," Li Changshou scoffed, "if they don't face this tribulation, Heaven's laws will not tolerate it! And the Sages..."

"They should have left," Immortal Yunxiao said. "My master and the others do not wish to directly contend with the Heavenly Dao." Li Changshou raised a hand to wipe his face, then sat lost in thought. Yunxiao sighed softly, her slender fingers gently pressing on Li Changshou's shoulder. "Don't push yourself too hard. Human capabilities have their limits, and there are many things even Sages cannot achieve in this world."

"Let's wait until Senior Brother Taiyi returns."

No sooner had Li Changshou spoken than faint ripples appeared in the void beside them, and two figures flew out from within. Perfected Taiyi had changed into a light pink Daoist robe, making him appear even more striking. Yunzhongzi swiftly followed him. When this Golden Immortal of Fortune saw the scene before him, his body trembled. "Alas, why has the Western Sect committed such evil!"

"Senior Brother," Li Changshou rose and bowed. "Senior Brother is skilled in the art of artifact refining. Please examine if this Reincarnation Pagoda can be repaired." Yunzhongzi returned the bow, then took two steps forward, sitting before the pagoda to examine it carefully. Perfected Taiyi strolled over with his hands behind his back, pretending to be at ease, a rare serious moment for him, and asked: "Chang Geng, how do you plan to handle this? All these souls here can become the Western Sect's karma. Once the Investiture of Gods is discussed and the Great Tribulation descends, the Western Sect is bound to suffer heavy losses."

Li Changshou pursed his lips and sat, continuing to ponder. Perfected Taiyi said, "If you do nothing now, no one will blame you. In fact, you've already rendered great service to the Dao Sect. What's more, what can we even do? These souls are incredibly fragile. I just tried using merit; even the gentlest Heavenly Dao merit, they couldn't withstand a wisp. At this moment, they are like... willow catkins. Apart from letting them reincarnate, there's no other way to save them. The Western Sect's consideration in this regard was quite thorough."

Li Changshou said, "But it's always better than doing nothing at all." Yunzhongzi said, "The pagoda's spirit has been destroyed. There are a total of 326,000 restrictions around it. Just to understand these restrictions would take at least several months." Li Changshou raised a hand to rub his forehead, softly saying, "Please, Senior Brother, think of another way." "Very well," Yunzhongzi agreed, and strands of golden light emanated from his forehead, enveloping the pagoda.

Li Changshou turned his head and asked, "Is anyone from the Western Sect willing to come over?" Perfected Taiyi cursed, "Still hoping for them? These fellows are definitely figuring out how to shirk responsibility right now!"

"The Western Sect is unreliable," Li Changshou whispered. "They don't care about common beings to begin with. Don't forget the Human Incense God Nations. Their idea is simple: no matter how much karma they incur, once divided, it won't be much, and each can quickly cleanse it with their incense merit."

A cool, clear voice sounded: "It's time for a great slaughter." As the words faded, five-colored divine light blossomed from the horizon. Kong Xuan rushed over with extreme speed, then instantly dissipated his momentum, slowly descending before Li Changshou. "The Shang tribe's fortune is still insufficient," Kong Xuan said. "They can't be of much help either."

The atmosphere immediately grew heavier. Li Changshou pondered for a few moments, then sat down to continue his thoughts. Saving them would be equivalent to helping the Western Sect; but the greater difficulty lay in *how* to save them. The souls here were already so fragile that they couldn't withstand any disturbance. Just now, Daoist Duobao tried to absorb some souls into a merit-nurturing artifact, and thirty percent of them perished immediately.

Yunxiao pursed her lips: "If we were to use the power of these souls to protect their true spirits, allowing them to reincarnate with their true spirits... No, that's not right. What's currently damaged is their true spirits." Kong Xuan said calmly, "When the Western Sect schemed this, they surely only left reincarnation as the sole path."

"We only have seven days." Li Changshou rubbed his forehead. "Please, Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters, let's discuss this together again."

As his words fell, a soft sigh drifted from the bracelet on Li Changshou's wrist, and a phantom figure slowly materialized, startling Perfected Taiyi so much he almost jumped. The phantom appeared to be in the bloom of youth, with hair piled up and dressed in a light blue Daoist robe. Upon appearing, she stood unsteadily, seeming about to fall. It was indeed Xiao Ai herself. Tears welled in her eyes as she said mournfully: "I'm so miserable! There are seven of us, but they just had to make *me* deliver the message... Everyone."

Xiao Ai's voice suddenly changed, becoming much more composed. It was naturally Empress Houtu, speaking through Xiao Ai, who began to communicate with them. "Is there any good plan?" Li Changshou fell silent, lowering his head without speaking. Xiao Ai sighed softly, turned, and gazed at the layers upon layers of human souls above the Sea of Blood. Two tears still slipped from her eyes. But Xiao Ai didn't say much more, only sighing softly: "In two days, the Six Paths Reincarnation Disk will have a window. Save as many as you can. Chang Geng, don't trouble yourself too much; you've already done a great deal."

With that, Xiao Ai turned, bowed slightly to Li Changshou, and flew back into the grass ring. Li Changshou quickly returned the bow, knowing in his heart that the Empress did not wish to put pressure on them. Perfected Taiyi then asked, "What do the three masters mean?" Yunxiao replied, "Master is certainly not a Sage who would ignore suffering or stand by while others perish. If we wish to act, we may."

"Senior Brother, let's call everyone to discuss this." A faint spark of inspiration flickered in Li Changshou's mind, but it vanished too quickly for him to grasp. Before long, streaks of light flew back. The group of nine immortals, plus Yunzhongzi whom they had just invited, began discussing the matter at hand together. After discussing for half a day, they arrived at the same conclusion Li Changshou had stated earlier: do your best.

On Spirit Mountain, within the complex formations, lay a somewhat solitary corner. Ksitigarbha sat cross-legged beneath a tree, with Diting beside him using his long tail and body to conceal Ksitigarbha's figure. Occasionally, leaves would drift down from above. The tree was gradually withering. By the Spirit Pool in the distance, a group of Western Sect disciples looked grim. For the past half an hour, the disciples who were usually close to that 'mad' old Daoist were now cursing him the most fiercely. They, too, were naturally pondering countermeasures, but each merely spoke of the dire consequences of the incident, then fell silent. "We have our own incense merit to protect us, so there's actually no need to worry much." Upon hearing one old Daoist say this, the faces of most of the other old Daoists relaxed somewhat.

Ksitigarbha looked down at the prayer beads in his hand, slightly lost in thought. Diting secretly whispered, "Master, don't think about it anymore. The Great Sage is on your side, and that's enough. Just cultivate peacefully from now on. Even if the Western Sect suffers losses in the Great Tribulation, Master, you will survive."

"When did it become like this?" Ksitigarbha murmured to himself. A fallen leaf landed in his palm, causing a flicker of emotion in Ksitigarbha's eyes.

*Why is the Dao Sect the protagonist of Heaven and Earth, while my Western Sect is merely a supporting role? Master, this disciple is determined to make the West flourish!**The Dao Sect disdains to manage the Three Thousand Worlds, but if we take root there and cultivate believers, we can gather incense merit and gain the merit of educating humanity.**Second Master, always leave a margin. Our direct control of the entire Great Thousand World using Human Incense God Nations is not in line with the Heavenly Dao's methods.*

"Diting, how many beings are there in the Sea of Blood this time?" "I can't give an exact count. This scheme has been ongoing for too long, and these souls have accumulated over vast ages," Diting conveyed telepathically. "It's roughly equivalent to the total current human population of sixty Great Thousand Worlds."

"Sixty..." Ksitigarbha slowly clenched his fist, the withered leaf in his hand crushed. Diting said, "Master, don't worry, the Sage will certainly not let this matter go unattended."

"It was clearly the Heavenly Dao acting just now. If the two masters directly interfered, they would be seen as confronting the Heavenly Dao. The master's intervention was likely to stabilize the Twelve-Petaled Golden Lotus." "If even Sages can't manage it, what can you, Master, do?" "I..." Ksitigarbha paused, then sighed dispiritedly, pressing his hands to his forehead and bowing his head in silence. His expression was identical to Li Changshou's above the Sea of Blood at that moment.

A moment ago, Daoist Duobao had said from the side: "Chang Geng, I know you feel compassion, but sometimes it's better not to act than to act. As you said, doing your best is enough to be clear in your conscience; there's no need to force yourself so much. This is an unexpected variable, difficult to handle perfectly."

"Senior Brother Yunzhongzi also said that the precious orb shattered strangely; the surrounding restrictions weren't damaged, but the Reincarnation Orb itself broke." "This matter should be spoken of carefully."

"Everyone," Li Changshou said, lowering his head and pressing his forehead, his two index fingers gently scraping his brows, "I..."

Two soft sighs, one above the Sea of Blood, one beneath the tree on Spirit Mountain. And then, a long silence. Silence, due to thought; thought, because he was unwilling to drift with the current, unwilling to believe in so-called 'Heaven's decrees.'

*What can I do?* So Li Changshou asked, so Ksitigarbha sought.

On Spirit Mountain, Diting gently swished his tail, as if shooing away surrounding mosquitoes, or perhaps signaling the old Daoists by the Spirit Pool not to bother them. Above the Sea of Blood, Yunxiao sighed softly and whispered: "Senior Disciple Brother, please, you and my elder brother go to Fengdu City first to suppress those fierce spirits and clear the Six Paths Reincarnation Disk as soon as possible."

"Very well!" Duobao agreed, and with Zhao Gongming and Immortal Mother Jin Ling, transformed into streaks of light, shooting towards Fengdu City. Yunxiao then said, "I will remain here to guard. Please, everyone else, return to the Sea of Blood and prevent the fierce beasts from harming living beings."

Kong Xuan cupped his hands and transmitted a message: "Don't worry. Just take good care of Chang Geng. He's of human origin and hasn't seen the tragic state of living beings when a great tribulation descends. He might find this scene difficult to bear." "Mm," Yunxiao gently nodded. "Thank you for your concern, fellow Daoist."

Streaks of light dispersed again. The group, whose discussion here yielded no results, scattered once more, each busy doing what they could.

Half a day later. The sky of the Netherworld seemed to press down even lower. A profound silence hung over the Sea of Blood, where helpless, numb souls drifted, as if threatening to overwhelm the entire sea. Li Changshou slowly exhaled, all confusion and hesitation receding from his eyes. He murmured: "I can still do something."

Yunxiao gently asked, "Can you discuss it with me?" "They're just some ideas, and I'm not sure if I can pull them off," Li Changshou stood up. "Regardless, it's better than just waiting here. The longer we wait, the less time we have left. I'll make a trip to Fire Cloud Cave and return within an hour. In an hour, please call Senior Brothers and the others back. I need to discuss a major matter."

"Mm," Yunxiao said with a faint smile on her lips. "Don't leave any regrets in your Dao Heart." "I won't."

Li Changshou's figure was enveloped by the Taiji Diagram. He leaped directly into the realm beyond the painting, rushing from the Netherworld towards the Five Continents. Half an hour later, Li Changshou hurriedly entered Fire Cloud Cave. After only a moment, Li Changshou and a robust man dressed in fisherman's attire swiftly emerged! Li Changshou used the Taiji Diagram to open a void portal, rushing to the Sea of Blood with Emperor Yu!

On Spirit Mountain, Ksitigarbha opened his palm, and fragments of ashes drifted out. All confusion receded from his eyes, which now flickered with continuous light. He understood; he had fully comprehended it. This was a tribulation. This was the Western Sect's tribulation, a tribulation descended by the Heavenly Dao; but it was also the Western Sect's opportunity! The Sages were still playing their game, still scheming! Those beings were the focal point of the Sages' current game, and the Sages' silence was merely waiting for their disciples to step forward.

Would the Water God abandon those beings? No, absolutely not. No matter how cunning that fellow was, he possessed an equal amount of inherent loyalty to humanity. The souls of humans from sixty Great Thousand Worlds, the Water God would definitely not ignore them!

Ksitigarbha suddenly rose to his feet and stepped forward. Diting shivered slightly and quickly said, "Master, what are you doing now? Just stay put honestly." "Shut up!" Ksitigarbha lightly reprimanded, his gaze fixed on the group of old Daoists, then continued to step forward, proclaiming loudly, "Senior and Junior Brothers, do you know how to repair the Reincarnation Pagoda?"

"Replying to Senior Brother Ksitigarbha, we do not know..." "Junior Brother Ksitigarbha, why do you ask this? Even if the Reincarnation Pagoda can be repaired, it's not a matter of a few days. Everything is too late." "Precisely. Even if we incur karma because of this, we can still use incense merit to..."

Ksitigarbha's expression instantly darkened. He said calmly, "If no one knows, I will ask my master. You all need not say more." With that, Ksitigarbha cupped his hands in a Daoist bow, then turned to head deeper into Spirit Mountain.

Diting, however, stood up, his eyes full of hesitation. Ignoring the frantic warning signals in his heart, he still transmitted a message: "Master! The Sa-Sages aren't home!" Ksitigarbha replied, "Master surely has an avatar guarding the Golden Lotus." "Ah! Ma—!" Diting was about to speak further, but two gazes, like knives, shot from one side, causing Diting to shiver. The divine beast Diting instinctively looked, only to see one of the old Daoists by the Spirit Pool smiling at him, his eyes full of warning. By the time Diting regained his senses, Ksitigarbha's figure was nowhere to be found; he had already entered Spirit Mountain's secret realm.

Diting immediately made a bitter face, silently lay down, and idly swished his long tail. Being an auspicious beast who 'knows too much'... It's truly difficult.

At the Sea of Blood. No sooner had Li Changshou and Emperor Yu appeared than Daoist Duobao and the other immortals who had been waiting for a while gathered around them. Kong Xuan continued to patrol various parts of the Sea of Blood, using his imposing presence to prevent fierce blood beasts from surfacing and the Asura clan from making any moves. Emperor Yu and the various Daoist immortals greeted each other as fellow Daoists, exchanging a few pleasantries, before Li Changshou directly cut to the chase: "I've thought of some methods. We still have six days, and there's actually a lot we can do. First, let me explain my approach.

"What we can mainly do falls into three areas: First, extending the lives of these souls. Everyone can continue to ponder this direction. Second, increasing the speed of rebirth through the Six Paths Reincarnation Disk. I've already prepared for this; inviting Emperor Yu here was precisely for this purpose. Third, promptly repairing the Reincarnation Pagoda. This will depend on Senior Brother Yunzhongzi."

Yunzhongzi, who was sitting cross-legged before the Reincarnation Pagoda on the side, looked up and offered a wry smile. Daoist Duobao asked, "How can we increase the speed of rebirth through the Six Paths Reincarnation Disk?" "Don't forget my divine authority in the Heavenly Court."

Li Changshou's left hand swept through the air, drawing a blue long river. "I want to build a long river, temporarily from the Sea of Blood to Fengdu City. If this method proves feasible, it can also be constructed elsewhere in the Netherworld. I once modified a mortal river to imbue it with the true spirits of numerous Pangu tribe infants. This method, with slight modifications, can be used here. This long river I intend to divide into three layers: upper, middle, and lower. If a soul's merit and karma balance each other, or if they have neither much merit nor much karma, they will be in the middle layer. The middle layer will have normal flow, directly connecting to the Ten Kings of Hell. Those with more merit will be in the upper layer, which will have the fastest flow, leading directly to the Six Paths Reincarnation Disk! The lower layer will have the slowest flow, leading directly to the eighteen layers of hell.

"The most important aspect of this idea is to allow the 'good' ones to reincarnate early, using the space within the eighteen layers of hell and the Six Paths Reincarnation Disk as buffers. This will significantly reduce the pressure on the Book of Life and Death. This way, at least thirty percent of the souls here can be saved, with priority given to the virtuous! Why are you all looking at me like that?"

"Hiss—" Daoist Duobao gasped, wondering, "How do you come up with so many ideas?" Li Changshou chuckled, "I heard a folk legend about some Three Paths River in the Underworld, though the Underworld clearly has no rivers. I was inspired by that."

Li Changshou said, "Forgive my presumption, but may I give direct orders?" Zhao Gongming laughed, "Of course! Speak!" "Instead of rambling on, just tell us what to do," Immortal Mother Jin Ling huffed in dissatisfaction. Perfected Yuding also said, "If we can save more beings, it will also be a merit for you and me."

Li Changshou slowly nodded, divine light flickering in his eyes. His Void Enlightenment Dao Heart activated again, ensuring he wouldn't be affected by the tribulation's influence. "Emperor Yu, I entrust you with the task of surveying the river course." Emperor Yu nodded with a smile, casually gripping his Mountain-Splitting Axe, indicating this was his area of expertise.

"Senior Brother Duobao, Senior Brother Yuding, please assist Emperor Yu as well," Li Changshou said. "This river must connect from the edge of the Sea of Blood to Fengdu City, and a sufficient distance must be maintained for the souls to be sorted." "Very well." "Leave it to me, your elder brother."

"Senior Sister Jin Ling, Senior Brother Taiyi, you two come with me to Fengdu City." Li Changshou said firmly, "The key to resolving this matter lies in whether I can use my Heavenly Court divine authority to create river water that distinguishes between souls' merits and karmic debts."

Zhao Gongming asked, "What about me?" Li Changshou chuckled, "Elder Brother Gongming, you and Yunxiao go to the Heavenly Court together. Directly inform His Majesty the Jade Emperor that I require a million troops to come here and lay out the river course." "Very well!"

Immortal Yunxiao, however, said, "We don't need to ask." Her slender hand slowly opened, and a cloud of mist surged within, clearly a display of the Cloud Mirror Technique. The Cloud Mirror Technique directly showed the edge of Heaven and Earth, the edge of the East Sea, where countless streaks of light descended straight down along the Heavenly Pillar. Among these streaks were Heavenly soldiers and generals, and Chang'e fairies. At the very front, Duke Mu and several Third-Rank Deities rapidly rode on clouds, while further back, Qin Tianzhu's figure could be seen.

Li Changshou paused, then burst into a wry laugh. "Everyone, let's begin!"

"Ahem," Perfected Taiyi cleared his throat. "Chang Geng, are you sure you want to do this? Saving these mortal souls here would be helping the Western Sect resolve their future calamities." Li Changshou glanced at Perfected Taiyi and smiled, "Consider it so that we can righteously curse those from the Western Sect later." Perfected Taiyi's lips twitched slightly. Li Changshou looked at the horizon, took a soft breath, and said, "What the Western Sect owes, they will certainly repay. But... divine schemes should not harm mortals." At this moment, Immortal Yunxiao's eyes sparkled with brilliance, and all the immortals nodded and smiled faintly.

Soon. The sky unfolded, and a million Heavenly soldiers arrived from the East, each carrying their weapons, beginning the magnificent excavation.

Within Fengdu City. A group of Sage disciples from both Chan Sect and Jie Sect rushed there upon hearing the news, helping to stabilize the surroundings and intercepting evil spirits and fierce souls causing trouble. Li Changshou moved in and out of the Six Paths Reincarnation Disk area, constantly experimenting and revising his ideas. He quickly discovered that it was impossible to maintain three distinctly different types of river water in stable layers. The souls were incredibly fragile, and water currents with different speeds could easily destroy them. Therefore, he only needed one type of river water that could protect these souls, which lowered the barrier significantly. But comparatively, the design of this layered river channel would be much more complex and troublesome.

Li Changshou summoned his Water God divine authority artifact, and after meeting Qin Tianzhu, went directly to the 'construction site,' continuously pondering and researching, rapidly proposing ideas and then quickly overturning them. Qin Tianzhu, however, was quite open-minded. When encountering problems, he would directly shout out, promising a direct promotion upon returning to the Heavenly Court to anyone who could propose a solution. This was a true collaboration of collective wisdom.

The Netherworld suddenly became extremely lively. From the Sea of Blood to the Underworld, Yin servants, wandering spirits, Underworld Pangu tribe members, and even a small number of Asura tribes, all threw themselves into this river excavation project. King Chu Jiang couldn't help but joke that the Water God's previous instruction to gather a large army was indeed prescient. Excavating the river channel was exceptionally convenient.

At the Six Paths Reincarnation Disk, ghost officers had already begun transporting wandering souls from the Sea of Blood back and forth for reincarnation. All the Kings of Hell rolled up their sleeves and got to work. All the judges hurried about, sweating profusely. Great and small ghosts ran their legs off, and Ox-head and Horse-face became exhausted. In just one day, branch channels were built to receive wandering souls from the Sea of Blood. In just two days, the main channel was eighty percent complete.

Li Changshou came up with countless new ideas. At this point, he had already opened a great marsh beside the Sea of Blood, drawing in water from the Heavenly River with the Taiji Diagram and immersing himself in it, beginning to transform the local water into 'Life-Nourishing Water.' Water benefits all things without contention; water nourishes all spirits without deceit. This water was merely to carry the souls. Li Changshou racked his brain, pushing his Water God divine authority to the limit, making the water here achieve an extreme purity. Only then could it avoid harming those souls.

By the third day, the 'Three Paths River' was largely complete, with only the final water diversion remaining. Li Changshou and over a dozen Daoist masters gathered by the great marsh, simultaneously acting to draw the marsh water into the river channel. On both sides of the river channel, a million Heavenly soldiers, under Duke Mu's command, began to slowly accelerate the three layers of water flow. At the Sea of Blood, souls began to be guided into the river water. When the first batch of several hundred souls flowed into a 'tributary,' influenced by three types of artifacts placed along the river channel, they slowly separated into three layers as they moved forward.

Deafening cheers erupted from all along the riverbanks. Li Changshou also revealed a faint smile and breathed a sigh of relief. But Li Changshou's smile quickly froze. He frowned slightly and shouted, "Slow down the main channel's current!" No sooner had he spoken than dozens of souls from the upper layer, flowing from the tributary into the main channel, suddenly disintegrated in the slightly accelerated current.

The cheers quickly subsided. The Heavenly soldiers immediately stopped their magic. Zhao Gongming activated the Sea-Stabilizing Divine Pearl to fix the water current, then slowed its advance. The current couldn't be too fast. And this, in turn, affected the overall efficiency. Li Changshou gave a wry smile: "Like this, we can only save twenty-five percent."

"A quarter is already very good," Daoist Duobao laughed. "This is a great merit. Chang Geng, don't be too hard on yourself." Qin Tianzhu said earnestly, "Water God... Your Excellency!" "Hm?" Qin Tianzhu slowly raised his right hand and gave a thumbs up, indicating the Jade Emperor's approval.

"Alas," Li Changshou sighed with a smile, standing by the river. His immortal sense swept over, observing the beings here, and his voice echoed for thousands of miles: "All divisions, open the gates, receive the souls! Heavenly Deities, hurry to Fengdu City to assist the Underworld in handling the wandering spirits. And please, Heavenly Dao, grant permission for the Book of Life and Death to be temporarily relaxed!" With a rumble, a faint thunderclap sounded between Heaven and Earth, indicating the Heavenly Dao's response.

Suddenly! "Water God, I have a method that can save the souls here."

Li Changshou, the immortals, and the Heavenly soldiers and generals all turned their heads to look. They saw golden light shimmering above the Sea of Blood, where a young Daoist, riding on the back of a green-furred dog, descended with a smile. Ksitigarbha. Li Changshou's brows furrowed slightly, and he gestured for the masters behind him, who were about to rush forward to fight, to remain calm. Li Changshou loudly asked, "Do you have a method to repair the Reincarnation Pagoda?" "Yes."

Ksitigarbha affirmed, and in the blink of an eye, he was a thousand miles away. He looked down, scanning the souls scattered across the Sea of Blood, then jumped off Diting's back and patted Diting's spine. A talisman appeared in his palm, which Ksitigarbha casually shattered. "Today, I set you free. Our immortal contract is dissolved. Go." Diting froze for a moment, then lowered his head and bowed to Ksitigarbha. Clouds emerged from his four paws, and he remained stationary where he was. Ksitigarbha rode forward on a cloud, his white robes gently fluttering, his long hair swaying in the wind.

Daoist Duobao loudly asked, "Ksitigarbha, why have only you come?" Ksitigarbha calmly replied, "I've already said, I have a method to repair the Reincarnation Pagoda."

"This tragic state here was all caused by your Western Sect!" Immortal Mother Jin Ling cursed. "What is the meaning of your high-and-mighty attitude now? Do you really think this poor Daoist wouldn't dare kill you?!" Ksitigarbha gazed at Immortal Mother Jin Ling, then softly said, "I am different from them." But then, he smiled faintly and added, "And I am also the same as them."

With that, Ksitigarbha, from his cloud, bowed deeply to Li Changshou and proclaimed loudly, "Ksitigarbha, disciple of Sage Jieyin of Spirit Mountain in the West, comes today to settle the karmic debt on behalf of my Western Sect. I hope the Water God, considering that you and I are old acquaintances, and considering these innocent souls here, will permit me to repair the Reincarnation Pagoda on behalf of the Heavenly Court!"

Li Changshou looked at Qin Tianzhu, who gestured for Li Changshou to make his own decision. "How confident are you?" Li Changshou asked. "And how long will it take?" Ksitigarbha said, "Absolutely confident, in a moment's time."

"Oh?" Li Changshou's eyebrow arched. He and Ksitigarbha gazed at each other across a hundred miles. One wore a green robe, the other a long white cloth garment. As their eyes met, the previous tension was gone. Li Changshou suddenly uttered words that others couldn't understand: "Swear an oath that the Reincarnation Pagoda will be integrated into the Six Paths of Reincarnation, not to be interfered with by anyone, and will obey only the command of Empress Houtu."

Ksitigarbha slowly nodded, sat cross-legged, raised his left hand, and loudly declared: "I, Ksitigarbha of the Western Sect, make a Grand Dao vow..." Amidst his declaration, a dark cloud flew from the sky. Dense Heavenly Dao power enveloped Ksitigarbha, and his voice resonated throughout Heaven and Earth...

Half an hour ago, in the Spirit Mountain secret realm, beside the Twelve-Petaled Golden Lotus. The figure who had knelt for three days still refused to rise. The old Daoist sitting cross-legged by the lotus pond, with his back to him, had been silent for two days, but now finally spoke again: "Ksitigarbha, have you truly thought this through?"

"This disciple is willing to undertake this task. Please, Master, grant me fulfillment and impart to me the method to repair the Reincarnation Pagoda." "You were meant to inherit my mantle." "Master, is this task only possible for me?" The old Daoist remained silently unresponsive. Ksitigarbha looked up and smiled: "Is it because of this disciple's pure Dao Heart?" "Once you go, it will be difficult for you to return to Spirit Mountain."

"But Master, if I don't go, living beings will suffer immensely. How can the Western Sect establish itself in Heaven and Earth again? How can it usher in prosperity? It was Master who brought this disciple back here; this disciple is willing to go..." Ksitigarbha showed a faint smile, "Master, this disciple has achieved success in cultivation and should depart."

"You truly... Never mind." The old Daoist slowly closed his eyes, and a golden lotus seed flew from his hand. "In the end, it still couldn't contend with the will of the Heavenly Dao." Ksitigarbha's hand trembled as he took the lotus seed, slowly put it into his mouth, and swallowed it. Then, he bowed three times before the Sage, rose to take his leave, his silhouette no longer desolate as before, but upright and with a touch of freedom.

Above the Sea of Blood, the Heavenly Dao's power receded. Ksitigarbha slowly rose to his feet and asked Li Changshou, "Is this acceptable?" Li Changshou nodded, made a gesture of invitation, and telepathically signaled Yunzhongzi to move away from the vicinity of the Reincarnation Pagoda. Ksitigarbha raised a hand and pointed. The Reincarnation Pagoda slowly expanded, floating above the Sea of Blood, restoring its thousand-zhang-tall grandeur.

Ksitigarbha took a breath, looked up at the Netherworld sky, a few thoughts flashing through his eyes, then displayed a serene smile. He was about to leap down...

"Ksitigarbha." "Hm?" Ksitigarbha turned his head to look at Li Changshou, who stood before the immortals. The latter cupped his hands, lowered his head, and bowed deeply.

"Finally, a bow from the Water God," Ksitigarbha chuckled. "It's a struggle; if they saw this, I'd again be unable to explain myself." With that, Ksitigarbha returned the bow to Li Changshou, turned, and leaped from the cloud, his figure enveloped by golden light. He transformed into a golden orb of light, illuminating the dark sky of the Netherworld, and sank into... the towering peak of the Reincarnation Pagoda.

Burning this Dao body, condensing this primordial spirit, fusing the golden lotus seed, transforming into the Reincarnation Pearl. If I do not enter hell, who will? To prove this body, one must forever deliver all suffering beings. I make a grand vow: May I, throughout all future kalpas, widely establish convenient means for all suffering beings to attain liberation. Master, your disciple Ksitigarbha, will not fail the West.

Five days later. The vast Heavenly army returned to the Heavenly Court. Having dug for five more days, they had now completed the 'Three Paths River' modification process. The Three Paths River now originated from the great marsh beside the Sea of Blood, drew water from the Heavenly River, then flowed through the East and South Ghost Gates, heading towards Fengdu City. Three of the Ten Kings of Hell's palaces were moved to the banks of the Three Paths River, with the Reincarnation Palace standing directly on the Three Paths River itself, and the Six Paths Reincarnation Disk adjacent to it. This way, souls drifting down the upper currents of the Three Paths River could directly enter the reincarnation process.

Additionally, the lower layer of the Three Paths River flowed through the Underworld, and the middle layer flowed around the Reincarnation Immortal Isle. As the Three Paths River continued to drift forward, it exited Fengdu City and reached a fertile land. A tall pagoda stood here, radiating a faint light, serving as the final rebirth place for living beings. At the top of the tall pagoda, a young Daoist in white robes stood quietly, his figure fluctuating between solid and ethereal, gazing at the edge of the Netherworld.

"It's quite good." "At least it's peaceful." The Daoist thought of something else: the scene when the last batch of Sea of Blood souls was sent away by the Reincarnation Pagoda, and the Heavenly Dao sent down streaks of merit, but uniquely, a small Divine Lightning from the Purple Heaven struck the Water God's head. He couldn't help but chuckle.

"What's wrong with this Water God? Why didn't the Heavenly Dao grant him merit? Could it be that he owed a second debt? That fellow said he'd come for tea later, but it looks like he went to accompany his Dao companion. Alas... I should do something."

"Oh? Lonely?" A familiar voice with a slightly mischievous tone suddenly sounded in his mind. The young Daoist frowned and turned around. A large green-furred dog squatted beside him, smiling with narrowed eyes. "Would you like this divine beast to listen to the Three Realms and help you pass the time?" The young Daoist couldn't help but chuckle softly.

"Let's be clear first, this divine beast didn't come back to be your mount. We don't have an immortal contract now, so if I see a good home, I'll just leave. If you call me 'Grandpa' twice, I'll reluctantly stay with you for a while."

"Scram!" Ksitigarbha cursed. "Go find your Immortal Mother at the Jie Sect!" "Look, look, are you getting anxious now? You're also working for the Heavenly Dao now, you have some status, cultivate some composure and demeanor! Hey, don't sharpen your knife! Believe me, I'll really leave. Do you believe I'd go be a mount for the Water God's mount?! Hey, hey, my mistake, my mistake! Master, don't die! I'll tell you some good stories, Master..."