Chapter 534: Peeking at the Sage

Li Changshou understood a principle in his previous life:

Life, after all, is full of sudden moments, including one inevitable experience of 'sudden balding.'

Therefore, one must learn to be grateful to oneself, grateful for fate's unpredictable antics, and for everything one does to influence fate.

For instance, at this very moment, Li Changshou was grateful for the prehistoric stage play he had orchestrated over the past decade or so—"Yang Jian Descends the Mountain"—because it allowed him to…

Find a common topic with his Sage Teacher!

On the twenty-first day of his arrival at the Grand Pure Temple, Li Changshou had almost fully returned his focus to his main body, ensuring he could provide correct, timely, reasonable, and teacher-pleasing answers whenever his teacher spoke.

Communicating with a Sage was simply too much trouble.

Among other things, Li Changshou now strongly suspected that his teacher had transcended the laws of the primordial world, causing a disruption in the 'rules of time' for him.

A three-year time frame equated to 'soon';

The interval between each speech was consistently 'half a month.'

A mortal's fleeting life of a few decades was, in his teacher's eyes, likely no different from a mayfly's dawn-to-dusk existence;

The long centuries this world had existed must have made the teacher forget the original sense of time.

Li Changshou sighed inwardly, suppressing his profound insights;

Inexplicably, he felt a deeper admiration and respect for his Grand Pure Teacher.

How peaceful and serene must one's Dao heart be to allow years to flow by unnoticed, without causing the slightest ripple?

Was this what it meant to be at the pinnacle of existence?

"Yang Jian, not bad."

Hearing his teacher suddenly speak, Li Changshou instantly pondered, instantly smiled, and instantly lowered his head slightly, softly replying, "He is kind, resolute, and steady; indeed, he can be considered an outstanding rising talent in the Daoist sect."

The Grand Pure Sage transmitted, "Your arrangements are good."

Li Changshou gave an awkward smile, just about to continue his reply, when two wisps of yin and yang energy flew out from the Grand Pure Sage's sleeve, condensing into a translucent Taiji Diagram, which displayed an exceptionally clear image.

Truly, with immense clarity.

What astonished Li Changshou most was that the Taiji Diagram, a primordial spiritual treasure and one of the three artifacts of creation, was now so docile and incredibly smooth, its former imposing majesty completely gone.

The scene in the image was one Li Changshou had envisioned many times before, feeling quite familiar.

The handsome young Daoist, Yang Jian, future Heavenly General, held a precious sword, facing more than a dozen demons enveloped in black mist, raging and attempting to charge a distant village. A faint golden light emanated from his entire body, and divine radiance shone in his eyes.

He suddenly raised his sword, its blade slicing across his palm, and drops of golden blood sprinkled forth!

"Come on!"

Yang Jian roared furiously. The more than ten demons, stimulated by his profound body's precious blood, charged at him as if insane.

Yang Jian stomped his feet, leaving cracks in the ground, and shot forward like an arrow released from a bowstring, like a falling comet!

Sword light flashed brilliantly. His figure directly pierced through a bat-like demon, actively charging into the demon encirclement. Then, with one hand, he tore open his robe, revealing his light-golden, muscular Daoist physique, lowered his head, let out a roar, and swung his sword!

At that moment, the sword itself appeared so flimsy, like a piece of paper or a wooden toy sword!

The Eight-Nine Arcane Art?

No, this was clearly the Eight-Nine Robe-Tearing Arcane Art!

This extended the battlefield law—the less one wore, the higher one's defense—typically reserved for immortal maidens, to male immortals, making them more confident, holding their heads high, and being true men!

This was the true essence of the Eight-Nine Arcane Art that Li Changshou had comprehended after many years!

Because of Yang Jian's excellent performance, Li Changshou finally found an opportunity to proactively start a conversation, softly asking from the side, "Teacher, what do you think of this Eight-Nine Arcane Art?"

"It's acceptable."

A faint smile appeared at the corner of the Grand Pure Sage's mouth. "Though it focuses on physical cultivation, it protects the primordial spirit."

Li Changshou said, "This disciple has also practiced a bit of this arcane art, Teacher, please see."

As he spoke, Li Changshou rolled up his sleeve, and his hand from palm to wrist gradually changed. His originally fair skin slowly turned light gold, which then brightened and dulled, finally transforming from dark gold to the original yellow color of humanity.

His palm resembled a sturdy spiritual treasure, seemingly capable of piercing the heavens and crushing the earth.

The Grand Pure Sage slowly nodded and added, "Without the ancestral witch's essence blood, this arcane art would only be mediocre."

"Teacher, you can discern the flaws of this arcane art with a single glance, yet this disciple took decades to comprehend them."

Li Changshou chuckled, "Empress Houtu created this arcane art by combining the fighting techniques of the Witch Clan. She originally aimed to create a perfect cultivation method, but by trying to cover all aspects, it lacked the 'ultimate' quality.

Without reaching the ultimate, one cannot break through limits. Although the Eight-Nine Arcane Art can be quickly mastered in a few centuries, it can never produce a master like Senior Brother Gongming.

Although the ancestral witch's primordial essence blood can compensate, there is simply too little of it."

"Good."

Laozi's smile deepened with a hint of comfort. He replied with that single word, then fell into a prolonged silence.

Was the teacher pleased, or did he think Li Changshou had spoken too much?

Li Changshou pondered inwardly for a moment, realizing that the teacher's 'Good' (善) likely expressed approval and satisfaction, and that his previous words hadn't been excessive.

Phew, communicating with a Sage truly was the most difficult technical skill in the primordial world.

It was unclear whether the Grand Pure Sage had forgotten to put it away or deliberately left it for Li Changshou to observe, but the Taiji Diagram remained fixed on Yang Jian's figure, displaying a clear image.

An fierce battle, self-injury, protecting the mortal village, and receiving the gratitude of the common people, he was given an ancestral, broken spiritual treasure long spear.

This was, naturally, a small gift arranged by Li Changshou.

Yang Jian was still young, after all, and was quite pleased to receive a treasure at this moment. He galloped within a thousand li radius of the village for two days, eliminating various hidden dangers, before heading towards the 'ominous land' according to the information he had gathered.

If Li Changshou remembered correctly, this path also featured heartwarming mini-dramas, such as a little girl selling stars and an old man by the river waiting for his deceased son's spirit to return.

Elementary trials could only make participants feel their lives threatened, constantly struggle to survive, and strive to break their limits.

Advanced trials, however, built upon the elementary level by adding reflections on human nature and concern for human goodness during intense combat, allowing participants to experience a touch of emotional resonance, even if they suspected it was a pre-arranged script.

And indeed, as he focused his mind, watching the Taiji Diagram's broadcast as a mere 'audience member' enjoying the drama he had orchestrated, Li Changshou gradually felt a subtle sense of pleasure.

It was like admiring a work of art he had painstakingly created.

After thirteen or fourteen days and nights, the Grand Pure Sage slowly spoke:

"The Dragon Clan is corrupt; they must be diligently rectified."

Li Changshou paused, unsure what his teacher was thinking, but he quickly pondered, grasping the idea, and replied from the side:

"Teacher, the Dragon Clan's corruption has accumulated for many years. Previously, during the Sea Clan rebellion and when the Western Sect schemed against the Dragon Clan, many Dragons were awakened, but overall, the effect was limited.

Are you concerned, Teacher, that with the rise of the Heavenly Court, many Dragons will once again sink into ancient dreams, perhaps even viewing the Heavenly Court's rise as their own accomplishment, thereby disrupting the order of heaven and earth?"

The Grand Pure Sage… smiled again.

"Indeed."

Li Changshou pondered again for a moment, then said, "Teacher, please rest assured. During this great tribulation, this disciple will try to arrange some conflicts to discipline the Dragon Clan and make them recognize their proper place."

The Grand Pure Sage slowly nodded, giving another "Good," then closed his eyes with a smile, entering…

The next dialogue cycle.

'What will Teacher ask next?'

Li Changshou couldn't help but feel this doubt in his heart, and he sat to the side, frantically trying to anticipate.

However, after another half a month, Li Changshou deeply realized the fundamental difference in life's essence between himself and his teacher…

This time, the Sage did not speak first. Instead, the Grand Pure Sage slowly raised his hand and gently pointed at the Taiji Diagram. The images on the diagram began to flicker and shift, and the speed of their flickering increased rapidly!

Li Changshou's eyes initially swayed left and right, following the rapidly changing scenes, but within two breaths, the frequency of his pupil tremors could no longer keep up with the speed of the image changes!

The scenes displayed by the Taiji Diagram became a blur of light and shadow.

A massive flood of information surged in, making Li Changshou's eyes ache. His Dao heart was filled with countless images, and his mind buzzed, almost losing consciousness directly!

Fortunately, the Grand Pure Sage promptly realized that Li Changshou was still just an 'ant.' He raised a hand and pressed it onto Li Changshou's back.

Li Changshou let out a soft breath, sitting there pale-faced, trying to process the information he had just received.

The Grand Pure Teacher had just monitored the entire Three Realms, seemingly searching for a trace of 'disturbance.'

Among these images were cities across the mortal realm, the kingdoms of celestials in the middle three heavens beneath the Nine Heavens, and the countless souls undergoing reincarnation in the Netherworld.

Li Changshou saw…

Ling'e, wearing a floral short skirt, was primly holding a fishing rod by the lake, sitting on a small stool, chin resting on her hand, staring blankly at the water. For some unknown reason, she had tied her long hair into two buns today, wrapped with the same fabric as her skirt. She was likely trying out different styles of dress.

He also saw…

Yunxiao on the Three Immortal Islands, standing by a window with her eyes closed in concentration, wisps of profound Dao charm swirling around her. She seemed to be having some insight, though not a deep one, and the window faced the direction of the Immortal Du Sect. He hoped he wasn't overthinking it.

Also visible were:

The myriad tumultuous worlds, the mortal realm, a dream like a snare.Endless schemes in immortal lands abound, but cultivators seeking truth find longevity hard to gain.

In just a short span, the Grand Pure Sage had glanced through countless mortal realms, searching for the source of that 'disturbance.'

The information Li Changshou had just received was merely a tiny fraction of what was revealed through the Taiji Diagram.

As he closed his eyes and concentrated on processing the information, he could feel lights constantly flickering beyond his eyelids, signifying that his Sage teacher was still searching the Three Realms.

With the Heavenly Secrets obscured at this time, could his teacher achieve such a feat merely by his own means, without relying on the power of the Heavenly Dao?

The portion of Li Changshou's mind that had freed up was now left with only shock…

It could only be said that he was indeed the strongest Sage.

Not daring to keep his teacher waiting, Li Changshou fully concentrated on receiving the information, automatically forgetting useless data like sifting sand from water, and allowing the images he cared about to be stored as memories.

Once Li Changshou's Dao heart stabilized, he felt a sense of weakness radiating from within.

The impact of that information on his mind was so great that ninety percent of Daoist masters, excluding the Grand Senior Brothers of the Three Sects, would have directly fainted. Li Changshou was able to grit his teeth and endure it, thanks to his conscious effort to temper his mind.

—This was to allow him to simultaneously detonate more Spirit Explosion Arrays of the Earthly Fiends and Heavenly Stems Paper Effigies.

When Li Changshou opened his eyes, he heard the Grand Pure Sage sigh from nearby, a sigh that… carried a hint of emotional fluctuation.

A slight sense of disappointment.

What was wrong?

Li Changshou looked up to see his teacher with closed eyes, his gaunt face revealing a faint helplessness. The strongest Sage, who should have been as still as an ancient well, without any ripples of emotion, now…

"Teacher," Li Changshou softly asked, "Is there anything this disciple can do to ease your worries?"

The Grand Pure Sage gently shook his head, his eyelids opening halfway, his gaze falling upon Li Changshou's face. His finger tapped the Taiji Diagram once more.

The yin and yang fish slowly rotated, and the image displayed was somewhat blurry, yet Li Changshou recognized the location at a glance, sensing two familiar, obscure Dao charms.

Kunlun Mountain, the Three Friends' Courtyard behind Jade Void Palace!

Six-tenths of Li Changshou's heart was filled with shock, the rest with 'chilling dread.' He then understood why his teacher was so helpless.

The only ones who could trouble his teacher were these two Sage brothers.

"Teacher," Li Changshou said, "Perhaps it's merely that Great Sage of the Western Sect attempting to persuade…"

He stopped halfway through his sentence, himself half-disbelieving his own words.

If the Primeval Lord of Heaven had no intention of joining forces with the Western Sect, then Jieyin would likely not have been able to enter the Three Friends' Courtyard.

The Grand Pure Sage slowly sighed again, and the image in the Taiji Diagram dissipated.

"Changshou."

"Disciple is here!"

Li Changshou quickly answered.

"In the Purple霄 Palace, you stand with the Heavenly Court."

"Yes," Li Changshou replied, bowing his head, having already understood his teacher's decision.

Between the Jie Sect and the Chan Sect, the Ren Sect decided not to help either side.

The scene in the Three Pure Ones' Courtyard just now made Li Changshou feel the difficulties and dangers of the impending great tribulation, and realize the uncontrollability of the Sages' game.

And this scene was enough to sadden the Grand Pure Sage and infuriate the Lord of Heaven's Gate.

If the Daoist sects quarreled amongst themselves, it would merely be an internal matter…

Li Changshou still didn't want to believe it, secretly wondering if this was the Sage Jieyin's deliberate attempt to sow discord among the three Daoist Sages.

But then, Li Changshou noticed two details.

First, through the Taiji Diagram, the reason he could sense the Dao charms of the two Sages was that the Primeval Lord of Heaven and Sage Jieyin had jointly acted to obscure the Heavenly Secrets and block all detection…

Second, both Sage Jieyin and the Primeval Lord of Heaven were seated.

"No need to worry."

The Grand Pure Sage said gently.

Li Changshou, suppressing the fatigue in his Dao heart, asked, "Teacher, could you show me where the two Sages of the Western Sect are?"

"Good."

The Grand Pure Laozi pointed a finger again. This time, the Taiji Diagram effortlessly displayed a clear image.

It appeared to be in a corner of Spirit Mountain, where Sage Zhunti sat before a large golden cauldron, his hands forming a lotus mudra, his eyes fixed on the flickering flames within the cauldron.

"Hmph."

A wisp of air escaped from the Grand Pure Sage's lips.

Was that disdain?

You're expressing disdain, aren't you?

That's right. In the art of alchemy, his teacher's incarnation, Grand Supreme Elder Lord, already stood at the pinnacle, so he could indeed mock Sage Zhunti.

Back to business, back to business.

Zhunti and Jieyin were not together, proving that the scene in the Three Pure Ones' Courtyard was not a self-directed play by the Western Sect.

Although the possibility was low, this scenario could not have been ruled out previously.

"Teacher, could you show me where Third Senior Uncle is?"

"Good."

The Grand Pure Laozi gently moved his finger. The yin and yang fish on the Taiji Diagram spun for a while before revealing a barely clear image, filled with mist.

Splash, splash—

The sound of water came, and the view slowly zoomed in, revealing the Lord of Heaven's Gate sitting upright in a familiar hot spring pool, Daoist Duobao seated behind him, and Zhao Gongming seated behind Daoist Duobao…

Each held a snow-white towel, vigorously scrubbing the back of the Sage or senior brother in front of them, while chatting about typical male topics.

"Gongming, when do you plan to marry Jin Ling?

I'll help you arrange a grand ceremony, and then have Chang Geng officiate your wedding, pulling all of Second Senior Brother's disciples over to watch.

Let him continue to only accept male disciples; they'll all be dumbfounded then, won't they?"

"Master, don't rush. Jin Ling still doesn't want this disciple to speak of it publicly; she's quite modest…"

"Master," Daoist Duobao also said, "This disciple believes it would be better to arrange this matter after the great tribulation ends; it would bring good fortune."

"Alas, I wonder how many young ones won't survive this great tribulation," the Lord of Heaven's Gate sighed deeply. "Bribe Chang Geng more, and have him help arrange for more remnant souls to ascend to the Heavenly Court.

This time, when I go to the Purple霄 Palace, I'll also try to argue for you. At worst, I'll just have a big fuss with Teacher; after all, I'm the youngest in seniority…"

The Lord of Heaven's Gate's voice gradually faded with the sound of splashing water, and the image on the Taiji Diagram once again dissipated.

Third Senior Uncle was clearly about to be tricked by Second Senior Uncle. The other side had already begun contacting external aid, while here, they were still discussing the thinness of Golden Spirit Holy Mother's skin.

Sleepiness overcame him, and Li Changshou couldn't help but yawn, quickly raising a hand to cover his mouth.

"Don't sleep too long; recover your mind."

The Grand Pure Sage spoke gently. Li Changshou indeed couldn't hold on any longer, showing a look of shame as he bowed his head in thanks. But before he could even look up, his consciousness had gradually closed.

The indescribable sense of security beside his teacher allowed Li Changshou's mind, which had been strained for centuries, to finally completely relax.

Immediately, the Qiankun Ruler flew out on its own, transforming into a firm pillow that landed behind Li Changshou.

The Profound Yellow Pagoda emitted wisps of profound yellow energy, covering Li Changshou like a thin blanket, gently pushing him to lie down.

The meditation mat beneath Li Changshou unfolded, transforming into a long, narrow 'mattress,' allowing Li Changshou to lie down comfortably.

The Grand Pure Sage pointed out a wisp of Dao charm, which wrapped around Li Changshou's cheek, helping him enter a deep sleep. Afterward, he continued to gaze at the Taiji Diagram.

Li Changshou had a dream.

He dreamt that Sage Jieyin and the Primeval Lord of Heaven parted unhappily, and that Sage Zhunti's alchemy cauldron exploded, from which a charred golden cicada hopped out;

He dreamt that while scrubbing Daoist Duobao's back, the Lord of Heaven's Gate admonished Daoist Duobao to lose weight to avoid "three highs."

The dream scene shifted to a vast, white world. The Holy Mother (Nuwa) with a human torso and snake tail, lying by a pool, was tilting her head back, gulping down immortal brew, tears streaming down her face as she looked at a comic book in front of her, muttering through clenched teeth:

'That scoundrel Li Chang Geng, how dare he draw such a cute younger sister out of existence! Do you believe I, the Holy Mother, will send a sword strike your way?!'

Li Changshou, in his sleep, shivered a few times.

Dreaming of primordial Sages sending razor blades—a true nightmare.