Chapter 490: Water God Endures the Eagle

Soup.

The Golden-winged Great Peng, twitching slightly, slowly opened its eyes. Suspended upside down beneath a large tree, its gaze was still filled with lingering fear, and its eyes reflected the gnarled trunk of an old tree.

He felt as if he had experienced a terrifying nightmare.

In the dream, the Heavenly Court appeared empty. He had unexpectedly and smoothly rushed into Guanghan Palace, only to be slapped away by Immortal Chang'e...

The most beautiful woman in the Three Realms, a master comparable to a Saint's direct disciple?

The Golden-winged Great Peng had barely registered this thought when it realized it was currently hanging upside down. It heard the crackling of fire and a few voices laughing nearby.

Its immortal power was sealed, and its bird-form primordial spirit was bound by nine green halos, rendering it utterly unable to move.

Even struggling with all its might, it could only slowly turn half a circle, revealing three figures sitting three meters away.

An old man with white hair, a familiar-looking strong man, and the 'ox demon' it had seen before.

The white-haired elder looked over at the sound, revealing a benevolent smile. "You're awake?" he asked.

The Golden-winged Great Peng nodded blankly, unsure how to respond.

The white-haired elder said softly, "Don't be afraid. The wing removal process went very smoothly."

The Golden-winged Great Peng was instantly dumbfounded.

The strong man and the ox demon beside them turned their heads, each holding a large 'roasted wing.' They gave the Golden-winged Great Peng a slight smile.

"Tastes good."

"Very resilient."

The Golden-winged Great Peng felt a chill spread through its heart, its face filled with immense indignation. It was about to curse furiously but suddenly felt overwhelmingly tired. It 'raised its head,' spat out a mouthful of blood, and passed out again from sheer rage.

Li Changshou wondered, "Doesn't this fellow ever check himself?"

Wu Gang chuckled, "Where did the Western Sect find such a gem?"

Qing Niu took a bite of the roasted spiritual bird wing, praising, "It really is chewy. I didn't expect these spiritual bird wings to be even tastier than the leg meat."

Li Changshou shook his head and chuckled lightly, "I finally understand why his sister said he could simply be killed off. Keeping him is useless; he'd only cause trouble for the Phoenix clan. Might as well kill him."

"Are you getting another mount?"

Wu Gang said, "This creature's extreme speed is indeed impressive. It hasn't even revealed its true form since entering the Heavenly Court. Perhaps its flight speed in its true form is not much inferior to Kunpeng's. If it can achieve such speed, it would be rare in all the heavens and earth."

Qing Niu mumbled, "Mounts also value intelligence and spiritual connection. This blockhead... forget about it."

Li Changshou, however, felt a slight stir in his heart and sat contemplating for a while.

Taking him as a mount would definitely be inappropriate. After all, the Golden-winged Great Peng is Kong Xuan's brother; killing him and taking him as a mount are two completely different matters. He had to consider Kong Xuan's feelings, as she was the senior sister-in-law personally designated by his teacher.

So, making the Golden-winged Great Peng serve their side, and at critical moments, using its extreme speed to give them a ride...

Senior Sister Kong Xuan shouldn't mind.

But...

"Taming such a character is indeed troublesome," Li Changshou rubbed his forehead, feeling it was a double torment to his spirit and willpower.

Wu Gang chuckled, "Just break him. What if he's from the Phoenix clan? I have ancient spirit-binding curses here, used to control some great demons. They'll come in handy."

Li Changshou mused for a few moments, then closed his eyes. The Taiji Diagram slowly revealed its true form in the palm of his left hand. He had already begun communicating with the Taiji Diagram.

The Golden-winged Great Peng's temperament, in one word, is 'foolish.' In three words, it's... 'extremely foolish.'

It's self-important, audacious, extremely bold, incredibly proud, and somewhat capable. It respects no one and needs to be praised and flattered with kind words; once it's comfortable, it'll do anything.

Taming a Golden-winged Great Peng with such a temperament would truly be a hundred times harder than simply destroying it.

But it wasn't impossible. In his previous life, he had heard about "breaking" hawks, and the principles were similar. If you can't torture them to death, torture them as if you mean to!

Of course, this also required some psychological counseling, gradually guiding it, and eventually eroding the Golden-winged Great Peng's high spirits, changing its inherent arrogance.

Li Changshou exhaled softly and whispered, "Senior, have you heard of linked formations?"

Wu Gang was somewhat puzzled, and Qing Niu beside him was also a bit bewildered.

Originally, when the Golden-winged Great Peng provoked the Heavenly Court, Li Changshou had only intended to make it suffer a bit and incidentally curb the Western Sect's arrogance, without any thought of taming it.

But...

The Golden-winged Great Peng's temperament was clearly displayed. If this Golden Peng were allowed to leave the Heavenly Court smoothly this time, it would surely believe it had been manipulated by the Heavenly Court from start to finish and would seek endless vengeance against it. It would never consider who first threatened to invade the Heavenly Court, or who crashed headfirst into the South Heaven Gate... Li Changshou had indeed encountered such people in his previous life and still felt lingering trepidation.

Therefore, this time, it was either thoroughly tame it or cripple the Golden-winged Great Peng, leaving a remnant for the Phoenix clan.

No sooner said than done.

Li Changshou first discussed for a while with Qing Niu and Wu Gang, then busied himself running around various parts of the Heavenly Court. He first obtained the Jade Emperor's approval, then Duke Mu's support, and then summoned hundreds of Heavenly Court immortals and deities to gather in the spacious Fourth Heaven.

Earlier, millions of Heavenly Soldiers had gone to the Underworld to dig ditches and canals; now, hundreds of immortals and deities were refining array foundations. Of course, the crucial array foundations at the junctions of the linked formation were still personally refined by Li Changshou and sent to the Heavenly Court. He took some spirit stones from the Heavenly Court's treasury and arranged for a batch of precious materials from the Dragon Palaces of the Four Seas, striving to build a vast linked grand formation in the shortest possible time.

This grand formation didn't need to be overly sturdy because it would be continuously empowered by the Taiji Diagram's Yin-Yang energies. What was important were the illusion formations and entrapment formations within, which would constantly make the Golden-winged Great Peng feel pressured and remind it that it was trapped within a grand formation.

In just three days, over a thousand array foundations were simultaneously activated on a vast sea of clouds in the Fourth Heaven, creating an incredibly magnificent scene.

One of Li Changshou's paper avatars sat cross-legged at the core of the main formation, slowly activating the Taiji Diagram, bringing dozens of interconnected entrapment formations under the protection of the Great Dao of Yin-Yang.

At the same time, Li Changshou activated a paper avatar among the Shang tribe. After wandering in a small forest outside the city for a while, he soon heard a message from Senior Sister Kong Xuan:

"What is it? Is there an emergency? My Seven Emotions Reincarnated Body is fine; she's currently playing in the city."

Li Changshou's eyes lit up... that voice! It now carried three parts gentleness, three parts warmth, and its pitch was significantly higher than before!

—Previously, Kong Xuan was in a neutral, undifferentiated Yin-Yang state, but now she was merely shifting towards the Yin attribute.

Li Changshou said aloud, "Fellow Daoist, there's no need to show yourself. I just need your consent for something. Your brother previously trespassed into the Heavenly Court, intending to approach Immortal Chang'e in Guanghan Palace. He's now been captured by me... and strung up."

"Just kill him. You don't need to consider my feelings." Kong Xuan's words were utterly calm.

Li Changshou hesitated slightly, then said, "I was thinking of taming him for the Heavenly Court's use..."

Kong Xuan was silent for a moment. Then, five-colored divine light appeared before Li Changshou, condensing into a phantom. Clearly, Kong Xuan's true form was not suitable for appearing in person at this moment.

Looking at the phantom Kong Xuan had formed, her face was now noticeably gentler than before, and her figure had become slender and graceful. Though one couldn't call her an unparalleled beauty, she possessed a unique charm...

Kong Xuan frowned, "Why would the Heavenly Court tame him? To cause trouble and ruin its luck?"

"The Golden Peng's extreme speed might be of great use," Li Changshou said earnestly. "Even if you speak lightly of it, I cannot truly kill him. After all, he is your brother, and the Phoenix clan is already dwindling in numbers."

Kong Xuan unconsciously pursed her lips, her phoenix eyes fixed on Li Changshou, and then she let out a soft sigh. "I originally didn't want to owe you any more favors, but you truly... Never mind. If you can change his arrogant nature and make him cause less trouble for me in the future, I can even personally go persuade him."

Li Changshou laughed, "We're family; there's no need to talk about favors, Fellow Daoist. If my senior brother heard you, he'd surely reprimand me."

Kong Xuan's gaze shifted to the side...

If he saw correctly, if he perceived correctly, if Li Changshou's understanding of women was not mistaken!

Was that a tiny bit of bashfulness?

Praise the teacher! Senior brother's good fortune is almost sealed!

Kong Xuan asked, "Is there anything you need me to do?"

"Not too much, actually," Li Changshou said. "I need to borrow a wisp of your aura, preferably from this phantom of yours. I'll use a recording orb to capture your back..."

Kong Xuan didn't understand why, but she nodded and agreed without hesitation.

Li Changshou asked Kong Xuan to wait, then busied himself in the small forest, manipulating mist and selecting camera angles. Soon, he produced several recording orbs and filmed Kong Xuan's phantom for a while.

The "hawk-breaking" work continued with intense preparations.

Three days later.

In the Lingxiao Palace, various immortals, deities, and heavenly generals gathered, sitting behind rows of low tables, watching the 'extra-large bronze mirror' laid out on the floor.

His Majesty the Jade Emperor, dressed in white robes with a smile playing on his lips, sat on his exalted throne. Beside him, fruits and fine wine were prepared as he quietly awaited the start of the spectacle.

Li Changshou sat at the very front below the high platform, sharing a table with Duke Mu.

When the time was almost right, Li Changshou stood up and bowed to the Jade Emperor: "Your Majesty, everything is prepared. Shall we begin taming this Golden-winged Great Peng?"

"Hahahaha!" The Jade Emperor couldn't help but laugh, "Chang Geng, go ahead. I'm ready to watch a good show."

Li Changshou bowed in affirmation, then flicked his whisk towards the bronze mirror. A spiritual light flashed across the mirror's surface, displaying a clear image.

Outside Guanghan Palace, near the trunk of a large tree growing near the Moon Palace, Lord Laozi's mount — Qing Niu — and the archenemy of the Moon Laurel tree, the Heavenly Court's foremost illicit logger, Wu Gang, stood with folded arms before the Golden-winged Great Peng.

As soon as they saw Wu Gang, the Heavenly Court immortals and deities recalled what they had seen before: Immortal Chang'e...

How dare they directly call the esteemed Lord of the Lunar Star by her title!

The image of the Lord of the Lunar Star slapping the Golden-winged Great Peng away constantly replayed in the minds of the immortals. Not to be trifled with, not to be trifled with.

Qing Niu tilted its head as if listening, then smiled. "It's about to begin, Fellow Daoist. I'm taking this bird now."

"Alright," Wu Gang casually summoned a large axe, then with a flick of his finger, unbound the rope suspending the Golden-winged Great Peng and handed it to Qing Niu.

Qing Niu chuckled, "Senior Brother Chang Geng said we should also thank Immortal Chang'e for her help this time."

"Her Highness instructed that if Water God has any matters, he should simply command; Fellow Daoist, no need to mention such trivial things." Wu Gang waved his hand, shouldered his axe, and returned to the Moon Laurel tree, chanting loudly: "To ascend to the nine heavens and gaze at the bright moon, one must first train their iron bones for thirty thousand years! Hahahaha!"

Qing Niu chuckled inwardly, thinking, 'My Senior Brother Chang Geng has only been cultivating for how many years...?'

Thereupon, Qing Niu tugged on the immortal rope, hoisting the unconscious Golden-winged Great Peng onto its shoulder, and descended towards the Fourth Heaven.

The journey was uneventful, and Qing Niu smoothly arrived at the perimeter of the linked grand formation.

Qing Niu found a large tree, hung the Golden-winged Great Peng from it, and blew a puff of immortal qi towards it.

Oh, the smell of roasted wings.

"Kid, wake up."

The Golden-winged Great Peng shuddered a few times, slowly opened its eyes, its Adam's apple bobbed, and its face was somewhat pale. Its wings, its arms... were they still there?

Qing Niu casually conjured a bluestone, calmly sat down, and smiled as it looked at the upside-down Golden-winged Great Peng, saying: "Did you meet Immortal Chang'e?"

The Golden-winged Great Peng shivered instantly and cursed, "Let me down!"

"Let you down?" Qing Niu smacked its lips. "Water God didn't instruct me to, so I wouldn't dare make that decision myself. Water God merely told me to watch over you and, incidentally, read you some rules."

The Golden-winged Great Peng angrily retorted, "You are indeed the Water God's man!"

Qing Niu calmly stated, "I am a Saint's mount. You are about to become a Saint's disciple's mount. We're generations apart; you'd best show some respect."

The Golden-winged Great Peng's eyes widened, then it looked up at the stone surface below and burst into loud laughter: "Hahaha! Even if I'm flayed and dismembered, leaving no burial ground, I will never become any creature's mount! Phoenix clan males do not fear death! Nirvana resides within my heart!"

"Dumb-witted and so stubborn," Qing Niu shook its head, a look of pity on its face. "You're probably beyond saving... Do you know how much effort Water God expended to deal with you?"

The Golden-winged Great Peng remained silent.

Qing Niu snorted, glanced down at the small script written on its palm, and continued, "Not even half a bit."

The Golden-winged Great Peng gave a cold sneer and turned its head away. "Since you've won, why the ridicule?"

"Never mind. Rotten wood cannot be carved, and dry grass provides no sustenance." Qing Niu pulled a scroll from its sleeve and declared, "Let's finish Senior Brother Chang Geng's instructions early and return to Doushuai Palace to eat peaches. Come, listen closely. I'll only read this once! The Twelve Basic Rules for Human Daoism Mounts. Rule number one: When being ridden, fly steadily. Do not suddenly accelerate or suddenly stop. This is different from how you fly on your own..."

One by one, point by point, Qing Niu read from the scroll in its hand, patiently explaining each word. The Golden-winged Great Peng, however, kept turning its head and gritting its teeth, wishing it could block its ears, but it couldn't use any magical power at that moment. It could only maintain the excellent expression of "I'm not listening, Qing Niu is chanting scriptures."

In Lingxiao Palace.

Duke Mu of the East asked puzzledly, "Water God, didn't you say you wouldn't take him as a mount, but rather have him serve the Heavenly Court?"

Li Changshou smiled, "This is just a small stratagem."

Throughout Lingxiao Palace, ears perked up.

Li Changshou explained: "Although we intend to have him serve the Heavenly Court, we can also use some clever methods. Initially, we'll set a grim future for him—that he'll become someone's mount. Then, little by little, we'll make him submit and tame him. Once he accepts his fate as a mount, we'll turn around and tell him he doesn't have to be a mount, but can be an upright general serving the Heavenly Court. How will he react? He will immediately rekindle hope, reduce his resentment towards the Heavenly Court, and be eternally grateful to it."

Duke Mu's face showed understanding, and the surrounding immortals and deities nodded in agreement, praising the plan.

"That's devious, truly devious."

A righteous deity whispered, "Water God, are you alright with directly stating such a scheme...?"

"No worries," Li Changshou chuckled. "Just keep watching, everyone. Today, we shall be upright and conquer with virtue."

The Jade Emperor laughed, "Someone, play some music."

Several immortal musician fairies immediately walked to a corner of the hall, and began to play instruments and sing, letting the melodious music drift throughout the hall.

Half an hour later...

Qing Niu's throat was dry. It tilted its head back and took a mouthful of sweet fruit wine. "Did you listen or not?"

"Hmph!" The Golden-winged Great Peng tossed its head with a hint of defiance.

"Hey! You little brat!"

"Never mind." A soft sigh came from behind. Qing Niu turned its head and immediately gave a smiling Daoist bow.

The sea of clouds rippled, condensing into a hundred-meter-tall phantom. This phantom resembled a Dharma Aspect: white-haired, white-browed, and white-robed, it sat enthroned upon the sea of clouds, its face imbued with compassion. A faint halo shimmered around it, and a wisp of obscure Daoist aura permeated the air.

The Golden-winged Great Peng stared, momentarily stunned. It unconsciously felt this Daoist aura, but it only made its head spin. The ultimate truth of Taiji contained within the Taiji Diagram was naturally beyond the comprehension of any being without even a sliver of foundation in the Grand Pure Dao.

—Chang Geng's reliance on the Diagram's might.

Li Changshou's voice, like a massive bell and drum, boomed in the Golden-winged Great Peng's ears: "Evil beast! You trespassed into the Heavenly Court and ambushed the Lunar Star; your crimes warrant a hundred deaths! How dare you be so arrogant?"

"If you have the guts, let me down!" The Golden-winged Great Peng roared firmly, "This Daoist was merely ambushed! If I were to fight you one-on-one, I might not lose!"

"Don't be so obstinate," Li Changshou sighed. "I wanted to spare your life out of consideration for an old friend. Since you're so intent on dying, then so be it."

Thereupon, the hundred-meter-tall phantom slowly raised its hand. The Golden-winged Great Peng was instantly smashed to the ground, and the nine shackles on its primordial spirit vanished simultaneously.

The Golden-winged Great Peng flipped over and sprang to its feet, a hint of ferocity flashing in its eyes. With a low roar, its form transformed into a streak of golden light, immediately shooting forward! Without a shred of hesitation, without a moment's doubt!

The Golden-winged Great Peng unfurled a pair of golden wings behind it, instantly piercing the heart of the phantom Li Changshou had conjured!

In Lingxiao Palace, all the immortals and deities collectively raised their eyebrows, naturally startled by the Golden-winged Great Peng's ferocity.

Then, with a flash of light, the Golden-winged Great Peng vanished from the scene, leaving only Qing Niu's sigh of emotion: "This blockhead, we didn't even have to lift a finger; he walked right into the formation himself."

Li Changshou's phantom revealed a slight smile, nodded gently to Qing Niu, and dissipated into the sea of clouds.

Simultaneously, the image on the large bronze mirror in Lingxiao Palace rapidly changed, splitting into two frames: left and right. One frame showed an overhead view, where the Golden-winged Great Peng was frantically rushing left and right within an entrapment formation, its movements effortlessly blocked by streams of Yin-Yang energy, making it spin around in frustration.

In the other frame, Li Changshou sat at a node of the linked formation, leisurely brewing a cup of tea. Beside him was a crooked-necked tree. Two ropes hung from the tree branches, each tied to a wooden plaque with three large characters written on it.

Still the familiar formula, still the familiar taste...

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