Chapter 520: Brother, You’re Not Quite Right

Li Changshou watched from the shadows on the day the Jie Sect Immortals of Jin'ao Island shed their blood, choosing not to reveal himself. After all, as a Human Sect disciple, at such a moment, he could easily become an object of resentment for some Jie Sect immortals.

He had sworn an oath with the four chief Jie Sect disciples and Lady Shiji in the minor world. He had also arranged for Daoist Duobao to erase some of Lady Shiji's memories and prevented those being punished today from speaking. All these actions were taken to ensure that the name 'Chang Geng' would not be mentioned during this internal purge of the Jie Sect.

Navigating the Primordial Era meant always assuming the worst intentions from enemies and never overestimating the goodwill of strangers. Meanwhile, Li Changshou had another important task to carry out in secret!

As Daoist Duobao waved his hand and Saint Mother Jin Ling drew her sword to slay the more than a hundred Jie Sect immortals, Li Changshou's dozen-plus paper-effigies, strategically placed throughout the Heavenly Courts and outside Jin'ao Island, fully unleashed their spiritual senses and activated the Way of Balance, their eyes wide like copper bells.

His efforts paid off!

As Saint Mother Jin Ling's sword light descended, both Li Changshou and the various masters on Jin'ao Island detected a subtle, somewhat strange power of the Heavenly Dao. The Jie Sect immortals interpreted this Heavenly Dao power as a sign that some of those being punished today had indeed been influenced by karmic calamities, leading them to commit grave errors. Even Daoist Duobao, Saint Mother Jin Ling, and Zhao Gongming didn't give it much thought.

However, Li Changshou, who was simultaneously observing from the High Heavens Palace and the Five Heavenly Gates, keenly noticed several subtle soul disturbances penetrating into the golden pillar in front of the High Heavens Palace – a pillar that had descended with this great calamity.

This...

Had the Investiture of the Gods List already been decided by the Heavenly Dao? Or perhaps, did the Heavenly Dao perceive that certain Jie Sect immortals possessed the potential to become gods, and had it already brought them in to strengthen its position?

Li Changshou pondered for half a day but failed to reach a definitive conclusion. If the names on the Investiture of the Gods List had already been directly determined by the Heavenly Dao at this point, what would that imply for the Saints? This simply made no sense.

Just as Li Changshou settled his thoughts, he heard the chimes resonating from Jin'ao Island...

He sighed softly, concealed his paper-effigies beneath the sea, and withdrew his attention. He had also preemptively placed a paper-effigy in the back hall of the Sea God Temple in Anshui City, located on the South Sea coast, knowing that some of the chief Jie Sect disciples would surely come looking for him later. While he couldn't be sure about others, Zhao Gongming would most likely come to complain and confide in him.

This Jie Sect Myriad Immortals Assembly, in addition to serving as a warning and rooting out deep-seated problems, also directly rejected those registered disciples who had traded spirit stones for influence. There was no need to observe; the Jie Sect's luck would naturally recover.

The six direct disciples of the Saints executed today were not considered core disciples. As for the more than ninety Jie Sect immortals, most were of low cultivation and insatiably greedy. The malevolent Jie Sect immortal Ma Yuan, who had deceived Lady Shiji, possessed relatively strong divine abilities and had reaped substantial benefits from the registered disciple issue, yet he was not directly punished. This immortal had deep karmic burdens and was quite resourceful, ranking among the top immortals on the 'Calamity Response Scroll'. Daoist Duobao likely intended to use this malevolent figure as a weapon to generate more karmic dust from outside the sect when the great calamity descended, before eventually arranging for this fierce immortal to face the calamity himself.

And this was precisely why Li Changshou preferred to remain close to Zhao Gongming, while always maintaining a certain distance from Daoist Duobao. As the chief disciple of the Jie Sect, Daoist Duobao harbored many concerns and considerations that Zhao Gongming did not.

Zhao Gongming, however, was much happier. With his high cultivation, powerful magical treasures, and vast divine abilities, he was like a carefree breeze drifting across the heavens and earth, laughing, swaying, and rippling. If he was ever displeased, he would simply exclaim 'Ai Hai' and lie on the ground, spitting a few mouthfuls of blood. What joy! Though Li Changshou... didn't exactly envy him.

Li Changshou could already imagine Zhao Gongming's conflicted and depressed expression when he would visit the Sea God Temple in a few days, after the Myriad Immortals Assembly had concluded, and the very first words he would utter:

"Chang Geng, this whole affair..."

If Zhao Gongming didn't utter these six words, he, the Heavenly Court Water God, would open a bronze mirror live broadcast and show how to scare a rabbit to tears! Just a joke, of course.

Li Changshou's spiritual sense swept across the Du Xian Sect, sensing the Golden Immortal realm's Dao resonance hovering over Xianlin Peak. Elder Wan Linyun should be nearing the end of her seclusion. However, the older an immortal in the Primordial Era became, the less sensitive they were to the passage of time. Elder Wan would likely only emerge for a stroll in another ten days to half a month...

On Little Qiong Peak, everything was as usual. Ling'e was cleaning her master's thatched hut, and three freshly lit incense sticks were placed before his memorial tablet. Xiong Lingli and Jiu Yushi were busy in the spirit beast enclosure. Ever since Jiu Jiu and Jiang Lin'er, the elite members of Little Qiong Peak's senior foodie group, left to manage the Lintian Hall with Bai Ze, Jiu Yushi's cultivation speed had significantly improved. This was likely due to having fewer disturbances.

After a glance at Li Jing, who was cultivating peacefully within the Du Xian Sect, Li Changshou withdrew his attention and meditated with closed eyes for half a day. Although he had been preoccupied with Jie Sect affairs recently, his main body had not left. Therefore, Li Changshou had long since sent Master Tu, the Qiankun Ruler, and the Li Di Yan Guang Banner back to the Taiqing Temple, keeping only Grandfather Pagoda by his side, just in case he needed to venture out and would feel a lack of basic security.

Half a day later, Ling'e, carrying a bowl of refreshing and delicious soup, flew over from the lakeside on a cloud, calling out "Senior Brother" in a clear voice. Li Changshou's main body emerged from the alchemy room, stretched, and sat idly on the wooden bridge outside. Ling'e brought a futon and sat beside her Senior Brother, her delicate feet swinging back and forth, then quietly asked:

"Senior Brother, have you been troubled by anything recently? You haven't been looking at the message jade talismans concerning the Immortal Alliance that the paper-effigies brought back these past few days."

"Hmm," Li Changshou said, holding a spoon and sipping some of his junior sister's special ice jelly, "If I were to personally handle everything, a hundred of me wouldn't be enough. The Immortal Alliance was only challenging during its initial recruitment and establishment phases. Now, with twelve deputy alliance masters jointly overseeing the situation, we only need to ensure the overall direction remains sound. Regardless of internal collusion or corruption, as long as it generally benefits the Heavenly Court, performs good deeds, and resists the invasion of the Incense God Kingdom, that's sufficient."

Ling'e lowered her gaze, pondered for a moment, then asked, "So, what has Senior Brother been worrying about recently?"

"Jie Sect matters." Li Changshou placed the jade bowl beside him and briefly explained how some Jie Sect immortals were accumulating wealth by hoarding spirit stones, indiscriminately taking disciples, and spreading Dao techniques, which in turn was dragging down the entire Jie Sect's luck.

Ling'e listened, her brow furrowing, and whispered: "How can there still be such immortals in the Jie Sect? Even after becoming disciples of Saints, they can't restrain themselves. Are they still unsatisfied?"

Li Changshou chuckled, "All living beings have desires, which leads to selfish desires. These desires can be for fame, peace of mind, financial gain, or anything they care about; it varies. This isn't derogatory; it's simply a common truth. Imagine, if the Chan Sect also had such a vast number of disciples, similar problems would likely arise. It is still Grand Pure Teacher who is far-sighted and understands the nature of living beings, which is why he does not accept too many disciples."

Ling'e blinked and whispered, "Is Teacher listening?"

Li Changshou: ...

This junior sister's understanding is still far from sufficient! Is flattery something that must only be done in front of the Saint Lord? No, it's about maintaining consistency in one's words and actions, and showing respect from the bottom of one's heart, whether the Saint is present or not! After all, who knows if a Saint, were they to actively probe, might see through a Qi Refiner's Dao heart... Better safe than sorry.

"Regarding your cousin, I did use her slightly before," Li Changshou said. "The follow-up has since been handled properly. Just a few days ago, I sent a letter along with some pills."

"Hehe, my cousin's true nature is actually quite good; she just likes to show off a bit."

Li Changshou simply smiled.

Ling'e pondered for a moment beside him, then her feet suddenly stopped swinging, and she asked curiously, "Senior Brother, may I ask a question?"

"Go ahead," Li Changshou said, leaning back and propping his hands on the wooden bridge, gazing at the distant verdant mountains and watching the clouds gather and disperse.

Ling'e asked, "If someone secretly does this, how can it be hidden from the Saint Lord? Surely the Jie Sect's Martial Uncle Master would have known about these matters, so why didn't he address them earlier?"

Li Changshou fell silent for a moment.

Ling'e quietly asked, "Was that... something I shouldn't have asked?"

"There's no such thing as what should or shouldn't be asked," Li Changshou sighed slowly. "Ling'e, think carefully: what is the essence of their actions—collecting spirit stones and taking registered disciples? It's the indiscriminate transmission of cultivation techniques. If this occurred in the Chan Sect, according to their tenets—'Dharma is not lightly transmitted, Dao is not lightly taught'—the most they would do is expel them from the sect. The Jie Sect, however, originally had no restrictions on transmitting Dharma and Dao. The current phenomenon of the 'Myriad Immortals Coming to Court' is precisely the culmination of Third Martial Uncle's teachings from back then. This matter truly only warranted admonishment, at most expulsion from the Jie Sect. To directly execute over a hundred immortals today, against the backdrop of the previous failure to suppress the Jie Sect's luck by the Red Lotus, amplified their alleged crimes many times over. This incident was merely an excuse for Senior Brother Duobao to 'strike the mountain and shake the tiger,' rectify the atmosphere, and unite the Jie Sect in preparation for the great calamity. After all, it's not the final straw that breaks the camel's back, but the accumulated weight it has been carrying all along."

Ling'e hummed softly, pinching her chin, and whispered, "There's so much more to this than meets the eye."

"Don't always think you're so clever," Li Changshou chuckled. "There are countless masters among the Three Sects, and all three chief disciples are experts in strategy and calculation far superior to my own."

Ling'e, however, replied, "Senior Brother, you are far too modest. Sister Yunxiao holds your strategic abilities in extremely high regard."

"When it comes to matters like this, I'd rather be a thousand times too modest than even slightly arrogant." Li Changshou effortlessly floated onto the reclining chair beside the door, dropped a "Remember to wash the bowl," and closed his eyes, appearing to fall asleep.

Ling'e made a face, picked up the jade bowl, summoned a tray, hummed a forest tune, and departed on a cloud, leaving the layers of formations behind. How truly leisurely.

Shifting his consciousness to the Southern Continent, Li Changshou decided to attend to a few 'important matters' before the Jie Sect Myriad Immortals Assembly concluded and Zhao Gongming came to confide in him. Though termed 'important matters,' they primarily involved checking the conditions in various locations.

The paper-effigy awoke within the Shang tribe's territory. Its spiritual sense swept across, revealing that the Shang tribe's banners now flew from city walls everywhere within a ten-thousand-li radius. This speed of expansion truly amazed Li Changshou. Next, Li Changshou's spiritual sense located the reincarnated Seven Passions, who were perfectly integrated into secular life and experiencing the joys and sorrows of mortals. With Kong Xuan's secret protection, the reincarnated Seven Passions were living quite comfortably. In a large city, they had become like 'little overlords enjoying endless fun.' As the Seven Passions were divided into seven personalities, each active at different times, this girl became a 'freak' in the eyes of mortals. She was exceptionally energetic and always vibrant. However, in those times, good looks often swayed people's judgments, overshadowing other aspects. The reincarnated Seven Passions were born beautiful, naturally attracting many proposals and individuals with ulterior motives. However, without exception, all of them were tricked quite miserably by the Seven Passions' reincarnated form. Fortunately, they were merely playing in the human world, always retaining Lady Houtu's gentleness, and never truly harmed mortals.

Seeing this, Li Changshou temporarily set aside the idea of bringing them to the Heavenly Court. Allowing them more interaction with humanity would ultimately be beneficial and harmless. —It is precisely because of mortals' short lifespans that life bursts forth with more poetry and romance. The cities of the Heavenly Court's celestial race lacked much of the 'human touch,' losing their distinctive flavor.

Kong Xuan was still in seclusion. Although Li Changshou was curious, he didn't dare disturb her without reason, so he dispatched a paper-effigy to the junction of the South, East, and Central Continents to check on the situation of the demon race there.

During this excursion, Li Changshou also made a special trip to Chentang Pass. After Ling'e's previous training expedition, which resulted in the elimination of a group of great demons, Chentang Pass had become significantly more peaceful than before. Human and demon forces were temporarily at peace, but as the demon race's vitality gradually recovered, conflicts would inevitably resurface in the future. It's worth noting that the population of Chentang Pass was rapidly increasing. The land here was fertile, and a group of powerful individuals guarded the area. Moreover, due to pressure from the surrounding demon race and the oversight of cultivators, incidents of theft and bullying had almost entirely vanished, attracting many wanderers to settle there. Li Changshou did not disturb the peace of the area; like a mere passerby, he simply walked around and observed, his paper-effigy quietly departing.

Speaking of surveillance via paper-effigies, there was one location Li Changshou never overlooked. That was, of course, the Black Panther's location. This Black Panther, ever since losing his wife, had been diligently cultivating in his cave, steadily improving his strength. It was unclear whether it was the influence of the Heavenly Dao or the machinations of the great calamity, but not only had the Black Panther's cultivation speed increased significantly, his thoughts were also gradually becoming radicalized. Li Changshou occasionally overheard the Black Panther muttering to himself, his self-talk gradually shifting from 'why can others do it, but I can't?' to 'it's all due to the Heavenly Dao's injustice, that's why I can't.' Li Changshou had no solution for this and dared not forcibly interfere with the Black Panther's developmental path, lest he be 'comforted' by a certain lord, who, despite owing a debt, had become a formidable master, with a small electric whip. It wasn't exactly fear, it was more that... well, it would be an insult to his dignity! The true Lu Ya had already been 'nursed to death' by the Black Panther, and Li Changshou himself had no urgent desires. The next time Ling'e faces her tribulation, he could come here to seek a divination stating 'she will certainly struggle to successfully pass the tribulation,' thus subtly increasing her chances of success.

With nothing to do, and still waiting for Zhao Gongming to arrive with his complaints, he couldn't focus on cultivation anyway, so Li Changshou decided to find something to occupy himself. He could visit the Underworld, play a game of chess with Ksitigarbha at the Samsara Tower, and enjoy Di Ting's shoulder massage service. He could stroll along the South Sea coast, chat with the demon soldiers who chose to follow him, and inquire about their needs. He could also drop by the Dragon Palace to "hit the autumn wind" (a metaphor for cadging), acquire some array-related treasures, and perhaps experience the Dragon King's monotonous life.

He then unexpectedly discovered that Ao Yi, Bian Zhuang, and Ling Zhuzi, the three sworn brothers, had already left the Underworld and were now wandering somewhere unknown. The demon soldiers had also recently grown fond of the mortal world, experiencing diverse human lives, engaging in various secular professions, and some even contemplating marriage. The East Sea Dragon King was also somewhat depressed recently, fretting over the perennial problem of the Dragon Clan's egg-laying rate hitting a new low.

He waited and waited, four or five days swiftly passing. The Jie Sect Myriad Immortals Assembly had even concluded, yet Zhao Gongming still hadn't appeared at the Sea God Temple. Li Changshou muttered to himself, "Could I have been mistaken? This makes no sense..."

"Chang Geng! Chang Geng!"

A familiar voice echoed in his mind, coming from just outside the study at the Heavenly Court's Water God Residence. Li Changshou quickly shifted his consciousness there, checked the appearance of his paper-effigy in the mirror, and hurried out, holding his whisk.

Dong Mugong stood energetically outside the door, bursting into laughter upon seeing Li Changshou: "Hahaha! Congratulations, Chang Geng! Hearty congratulations!"

Li Changshou chuckled, "What is the good news?"

"The Grand White Palace has been completed," Dong Mugong said with admiration. "Yesterday, the immortals overseeing its construction reported their progress in the Tongming Hall, and today, the Tongming Hall has sent inspectors for acceptance. If Chang Geng is willing, you can move in today!"

Li Changshou thought for a moment, then replied, "Thank you for your consideration, Mugong, but His Majesty's decree has not yet been formalized. Moving in prematurely might be inappropriate."

"Oh," Mugong gently persuaded, "Who in the Heavenly Court doesn't know? Who hasn't heard of it?"

"It's not like that," Li Changshou said earnestly. "It's better to be cautious. It won't be too late for me to move after His Majesty's decree is issued and my divine position is elevated. These are merely empty titles; serving the Heavenly Court and His Majesty is the foremost priority."

Dong Mugong bowed and chuckled, "Then I shall follow Chang Geng's advice. I'll go urge the Tongming Hall to halt any unnecessary decrees."

"I'm indebted to you, Mugong!"

"It's nothing, really."

Although the Heavenly Court now issued decrees much faster than before, the number of decrees requiring issuance had also increased significantly. Furthermore, modifying Heavenly Court positions and elevating Star Lord ranks required several times more Heavenly Dao power than other decrees, naturally resulting in a longer processing time.

"Honestly, these matters can simply be taken as they come." Li Changshou waved his whisk and invited Mugong in for tea. Mugong, however, remembered Li Changshou's long-standing advice: that they should maintain some distance and not become too familiar, lest it diminish His Majesty the Jade Emperor's prestige. So, Dong Mugong promptly took his leave, and Li Changshou escorted him out of the Water God's Residence.

Before Li Changshou could even turn around, another paper-effigy finally heard a familiar sigh.

"Sigh..."

Zhao Gongming had arrived at the Sea God Temple! Well, there was nothing to be excited about.

After settling the paper-effigy in the Water God's Residence, Li Changshou shifted his consciousness to the Sea God Temple, successfully met with Zhao Gongming, and instructed a divine attendant to serve tea. Zhao Gongming indeed appeared troubled. Li Changshou picked up his teacup and took a sip, observing Zhao Gongming's complex, helpless, and slightly weary face, sighing inwardly. Next would be the appearance of those six familiar words: "Chang Geng, this whole affair..."

"Chang Geng," Zhao Gongming called softly, his brows tightly furrowed, his beard trembling.

It's coming! It's coming!

Li Changshou took another sip of tea, bracing himself for the lengthy discourse that was sure to follow. Zhao Gongming took a breath, then quickly exhaled, asking in a low voice, "If yin and yang unite, if there's physical intimacy, like a mortal's wedding night... could there be offspring?"

Li Changshou was genuinely stunned for a moment, quickly swallowing the tea in his mouth, his mind reeling with questions. Something was wrong; Zhao Gongming wasn't quite himself today!