Chapter 569: Giant Star Yang Jian

Everyone in the Primordial World employed tactics; who was he trying to outwit now?

From every angle, Li Changshou concluded that he absolutely could not venture into the Chaos Sea again anytime soon.

If Kunpeng genuinely intended to reveal some information…

Couldn't he have simply shouted it out in Xuandu City? Kunpeng had been fighting his senior brother for so long that he certainly had opportunities to speak. And with his speed outside the Primordial World, he wouldn't have lacked confidence in preserving his own life.

If he were to step into the Chaos Sea again, regardless of whether he met Kunpeng or what information he might gain, it would inevitably disrupt his current plans.

Following the conventions of his past life, Li Changshou immediately classified Kunpeng's actions as 'serious baiting'.

It was clearly a deliberate attempt to lure him in.

Kunpeng, originally a mutated giant fish, was now engaging in such baiting tactics. It was truly an embarrassment for his kind.

In essence, his conclusion was simple: he wouldn't go.

Li Changshou waited another half-day. When his teacher didn't send him any instruction to go, he felt a slight relief.

That meant there were no major issues.

Taking advantage of his time in Xuandu City, Li Changshou reviewed his various multi-layered plans. During this introspection, he suddenly realized that his earlier gentle refusal of Yun Xiao's offer to 'share the burden' might have made her feel a little downcast.

After a brief pause, Li Changshou let out a drawn-out sigh from within the Hunyuan Golden Dou.

“What’s wrong?” Yun Xiao’s voice arrived as anticipated. The fairy outside the Golden Dou had an undeniable hint of concern in her eyes.

“Nothing, just feeling a bit of pressure,” Li Changshou said with a smile. He then burned the scroll in front of him with True Fire, stood up, and looked around with a feigned sense of bewilderment.

Yun Xiao pondered how to help him relieve the stress. Li Changshou chuckled inwardly, feigning nonchalance and fatigue, then subtly hinted at his needs, appearing to half-resist and half-accept.

Soon, he was lying on his side with his back to Yun Xiao, his head resting on her slender legs, eyes comfortably narrowed as he enjoyed the fairy’s gentle head massage.

Yun Xiao knew he was teasing her, but she didn’t point it out. A trace of immortal energy bloomed from her fingertips, helping Li Changshou alleviate the fatigue in his Dao body.

In this position, Li Changshou was essentially placing his vital point in Yun Xiao's hands. While seemingly enjoying himself, he was, in fact, under significant psychological pressure; it wasn't pure pleasure...

Indeed, the joys of the Grand White Planet Lord were beyond the imagination of ordinary immortals and deities.

In the distance, several Daoist masters caught this scene with their immortal senses, each letting out a light chuckle. Zhao Gongming, however, stroked his beard, sighed softly, glanced at Immortal Mother Golden Spirit, then quickly averted his gaze.

Though they had secretly become Dao companions, they were not as openly affectionate as these quasi-Dao companions.

Once the Grandmaster completed his meditation, he rose, surveyed Xuandu City, and began to perform the art of animating Daoist soldiers.

He drew strands of profound-yellow energy from the Profound Yellow Pagoda, took Yin and Yang qi from the Taiji Diagram, then sprinkled some water, scattered some earth, conjured some rusty weapons, and drew in the sound of wind from the horizon.

He formed hand seals, slowly exhaled a breath of living energy, then retrieved a stack of talismans refined by Laozi from his sleeve and cast them into the colorful cloud before him.

Shortly after, Daoist soldiers, each with a yellow turban wrapped around their head, emerged from the cloud, knelt and saluted the Grandmaster, then turned and dispersed to various parts of Xuandu City.

The Grandmaster sighed, “It seems it will take quite some time to fully recover my vitality.”

“Perhaps we should make more preparations,” Zhao Gongming said, rising and glancing at Li Changshou. He smiled and continued, “It’s rare to be here; why don’t we create a new set of formations? That way, Senior Brother Xuandu will have an easier time.”

Several Daoist immortals agreed, deliberately giving Yun Xiao and Li Changshou their space, and together pondered the upgrade of Xuandu City’s defensive formations.

Meanwhile, Li Changshou, deep in thought, also closed his eyes and concentrated, conceiving a composite grand formation for the city.

He realized he could devise unique countermeasures specifically tailored to the characteristics of the Heavenly Demons.

Xuandu City’s original formation structure followed the concept of a mountain-guarding array, though it was a hundred times more intricate than those of ordinary immortal sects.

This, after all, was within his realm of expertise.

In the northern part of the Central Divine Continent, near a gathering point for the demon race, stood a cloud-shrouded immortal mountain.

Squads of Heavenly Soldiers and Generals had recently set up camp there, causing over a dozen nearby demon kings to toss and turn sleeplessly day and night.

This mountain range would henceforth belong to the Heavenly Court. Yang Jian, the Jade Emperor’s nephew, a third-generation disciple of the Chan School, a Daoist protector, and the True Lord of Pure Origin and Miraculous Dao—who had recently risen to fame—was temporarily stationed here.

Yang Jian had deliberately chosen this location.

Firstly, it wasn't far from Yuquan Mountain; he could reach it by cloud in merely half an hour. Secondly, its proximity to the demon territories meant Yang Jian intended to use these lands as a whetstone for his cultivation, as he had no desire to halt his progress.

The battle at the West Heaven Gate and the subsequent commotion at Spirit Mountain had forced Yang Jian to confront a stark reality.

In the vast expanse of the Primordial World, he was merely a third-generation disciple of the Daoist sect.

The casual slap from the Grand White Planet Lord and the invisible pressure that had swept him away in Spirit Mountain…

The disparity was immense.

Yet, Yang Jian was not disheartened; instead, his fighting spirit intensified.

He had, after all, only cultivated for a little over a century. After several more centuries of cultivation, when he reached the Grand White Planet Lord’s current age, he might indeed be able to challenge him.

“A battle…”

In the immortal artifact pavilion, within the study overlooking the mountain,

Yang Jian sat on the windowsill, his left leg bent, his right leg dangling outside, as he gazed at the heavily sealed treasure pouch in his hand.

What did the Grand White Planet Lord mean by this?

He was immensely curious about the pouch’s contents, but after careful consideration, he managed to curb his urge to examine it.

As Yang Jian reflected on his cultivation journey, it seemed he could now discern the Grand White Planet Lord's shadow in nearly every aspect of it.

The guests who often appeared at Yuquan Mountain;

His master, who didn’t cultivate the Eight-Nine Arcane Art, always provided him with increasingly profound insights, layer after layer;

And whenever he ventured out for experience, he invariably encountered a continuous succession of perils and fortuitous opportunities.

Experiences that ordinary Qi Refiners might only encounter after a millennium, he often underwent within a decade or a few decades. This provided him with deeper insights, allowing him to advance boldly and unhindered on his cultivation path.

It was as if the Grand White Planet Lord had spread an enormous hand, and Yang Jian had never truly escaped its grasp.

That feeling of powerlessness, that suffocating oppression, caused Yang Jian’s Dao heart to waver several times. In moments of impulse, he even considered going to Spirit Mountain to destroy a Saint’s Daoist temple and self-destruct.

It was only in his impetuousness that he forgot Spirit Mountain was currently attempting to curry favor with the Chan School, thus becoming a tool for the Heavenly Court to sow discord among the Saintly sects.

It was a chain of interlocking schemes, one layer built upon another.

It was as if these layered calculations had congealed into a clear message:

‘Welcome to the Primordial Era.’

Yet, precisely because of the treasure pouch in his hand, Yang Jian felt that everything the Grand White Planet Lord had done to him seemed to carry a deeper meaning.

Especially that phrase…

‘When you feel yourself falling into such a situation again.’

It was as if the Grand White Planet Lord, while manipulating him, was also exploring something, verifying something, and incidentally reminding him of something.

Even now, Yang Jian felt as if he had developed a mental ailment, constantly pondering the deeper meaning behind these details.

He even began to suspect that the resentment and emotions he had previously felt were all part of the calculations of that individual who enjoyed masquerading as an old immortal.

A truly formidable Heavenly Court official.

Yang Jian tucked the pouch securely against himself, gazed at the distant, overlapping mountains, and pondered his future.

He was, in truth, somewhat adrift.

‘It feels as though I have always lived for the sake of others.’

His father had entered reincarnation, his mother was now by his side, and his master had not been too deeply entangled in his karma. All in all, it was a relatively good outcome.

A gentle breeze wafted through, carrying laughter and chatter from other rooms in the pavilion. Little Chan was discussing fabric for new clothes with her mother.

In the distance, Heavenly Soldiers seemed to be sharing amusing anecdotes about the Heavenly Court, while a Heavenly General repeatedly examined a bronze mirror…

Yang Jian couldn't help but chuckle inwardly. These Heavenly Generals, grown men, were surprisingly concerned with their appearance.

The bronze mirror seemed to display a certain scene.

Yang Jian’s immortal sense probed, revealing a fairy dancing with a sword within the mirror – quite a pleasing sight. The fairy also appeared to be speaking to the Heavenly General.

They must be a pair of lovers.

Just then, the bronze mirror vibrated, and a blue light shot out from its upper left corner, clearly displaying a line of large characters:

‘The record-keeper followed by the General has started a live broadcast.’

The Heavenly General’s eyes lit up. He quickly swiped the mirror a few times, and the surface vibrated, emitting a cheerful clang of gongs and drums before displaying the surging waters of the Heavenly River.

Yang Jian became intrigued and watched closely from the side.

A figure, clad in shining silver armor, appeared on the screen, cupping his hands in salute to those watching through the mirror.

“Heavenly Court Record-Keeper, Deputy Commander Bian Zhuang of the Heavenly River Naval Forces, greetings! No more preamble! Today, I’ll first perform a classic mortal bamboo clapper opera for all of you. Let the music begin!”

The scene shifted. A few yards to the side, several Heavenly Soldiers, acting as musicians, began a frenzied performance, while the actual music came from several female immortals further away.

As the rhythmic drumming began, Bian Zhuang grabbed his nine-toothed rake and launched into a solo performance.

“The Heavenly River waters ripple, this general sings! The Heavenly River forces are mighty, subduing demons in the water!”

What was this?

Yang Jian's brow furrowed, and he let out a faint snort, signaling his disinterest in such crude content.

With a critical gaze, Yang Jian watched with his immortal senses for a while, and before he knew it, several hours had passed.

As dusk fell, the bronze mirror’s display abruptly ceased. The Heavenly General frowned and muttered, “How did the spiritual energy run out again? This place is too far from the Heavenly Court. Although Lord Planet Lord permitted carrying the bronze mirror outside, the spiritual stone consumption is excessive. Ugh, it’s truly bothersome; I can’t operate the restrictions while recharging the spiritual energy.”

As he spoke, he pulled out a spirit stone, placed it against the back of the bronze mirror, illuminating several interspersed red and green gems on the mirror’s northern side.

The Grand White Planet Lord?

Yang Jian’s interest was piqued.

Not one to be bashful, he leaped from the window and rode a cloud to the Heavenly General’s side, subtly inquiring about the bronze mirror.

Yang Jian learned that the item was widely circulated in the Heavenly Court, and that whenever a major event occurred, Heavenly Court record-keepers would broadcast it in real-time.

On regular days, these Heavenly Court record-keepers would also put on various performances. The most popular was the comedic Deputy Commander Bian Zhuang of the Heavenly River Naval Forces, followed by the battle-category Heavenly Court War Goddess Xuan Ya…

Yang Jian wondered, “Can battles also be broadcast through the bronze mirror?”

“Yes, yes,” the Heavenly General nodded with a smile, pulling out a spare, older model of the bronze mirror from his sleeve and demonstrating its function.

Unfortunately, the Heavenly Court War Goddess hadn’t been very active recently, and the battle category had lost its audience.

Yang Jian quickly grasped how the item worked and then asked, “How exactly do those Heavenly Court record-keepers operate them?”

“For this, you just need to report to the Tongming Hall to receive a special bronze mirror capable of capturing such scenes. By carrying it with immortal power, you can live stream in real-time…”

The Heavenly General seemed to recall something and immediately said, “If you are interested, I will return to the Heavenly Court right away to help you apply. Mu Gong instructed that all matters concerning you should be handled with simplicity and convenience.”

Yang Jian coughed slightly and said, “I’m merely curious… Thank you, General.”

“No problem, no problem at all! Just wait here!”

The Heavenly General rubbed his hands together, turned, leaped onto a cloud, and hurried back to the Heavenly Court.

Half a day later, in the immortal treasure pavilion, Yang Jian gazed at the three bronze mirrors of various sizes before him, filled with curiosity.

He set down the bronze mirrors, picked up a small booklet beside them that had five large characters written vertically on its cover, and curiously opened it to find its subtitle.

《Authored by the Grand White Planet Lord: Positive Guidance for Quality Content》

Upon opening the second page, the very first sentence immediately captivated Yang Jian’s attention.

‘Are you still uncertain about what content to present to other deities? Do you wish to understand what formats people desire to see…’

Gradually, Yang Jian held the booklet and read intently, his mind completely absorbed. Soon, a faint smile graced his lips.

Interesting.

Since he had nothing to do, he could indeed try this novel item. With hundreds of immortals and gods live-streaming through these bronze mirrors daily, no one would likely notice him…

What kind of content should he create?

It would have to be something others couldn’t achieve.

Yang Jian sat at the table, deep in thought. Soon, his eyes lit up, and he vanished, taking two bronze mirrors with him.

Three days later, a small live stream connection appeared in the Heavenly Court. Opening it revealed a figure charging back and forth amidst billowing demonic energy, fighting valiantly, bathed in blood.

This bronze mirror live stream had only been online for half an hour, yet it had already attracted a large number of immortals to watch.

“Isn’t that the True Lord of Pure Origin and Miraculous Dao?”

“The True Lord started live-streaming?”

“He’s truly heroic and extraordinary! Quick, tell our sisters!”

An hour later, Yang Jian stood amid a pile of demon corpses, his three-pointed, double-edged spear in hand. Streaks of golden light emanated from these karma-laden great demons, swirling around his body.

At this point, Yang Jian was still too self-conscious to look directly at the bronze mirror floating behind him. He merely turned his head slightly, presenting a side profile, and then turned off the mirror.

The Heavenly Court fairies all declared him handsome, and numerous Heavenly Generals watched with surging excitement. The True Lord of Pure Origin and Miraculous Dao’s reputation exploded overnight.

Half a month later, Yang Jian located another gathering place for karma-laden great demons, activated his bronze mirror, and charged into battle…

Through these repeated efforts, he grasped the knack of it. He learned to interact with the bronze mirror, saying a few seemingly profound words after defeating demons, and announcing his destination beforehand to build anticipation.

“Everyone, today we cleanse Demon-Sealing Mountain! Just days ago, the demon king here in the southeast of the Central Divine Continent brutally slaughtered mortal villages and devoured mortal souls. My Heavenly Eye has pinpointed his whereabouts! Today, this humble Daoist vows to eradicate all twelve demon kings from this place!”

“Everyone, today we clear this nameless barren mountain! I’ve been tracking an ancient great demon’s traces, and today I have finally found it. I will proceed with my spear, without any hesitation!”

“Everyone, today we head to Mount Mei. This place is teeming with demons…”

“There is actually a human tribe here, filled with many straightforward men. Let Heaven and Earth bear witness, and you all too, help bear witness: today, I, Yang Jian, shall become sworn brothers with the Six Friends of Meishan!”

“Lately, the demon race has been in hiding, and great demons are nowhere to be found. Today, let’s go hunting with a dog. Howling Celestial Dog, why don’t we spar for a bit? Otherwise, my fists and feet won’t feel satisfied.”

The little white dog, now two feet tall, whimpered twice and immediately lay down, covering its eyes, playing dead.

As for Li Changshou’s time in Xuandu City, he indeed helped design a composite defensive grand formation for the city. He also requisitioned numerous precious materials from the Heavenly Court, Dragon Palace, and Immortal Alliance. These tasks collectively consumed a significant amount of time.

Two years passed in a blink. Concerned about the Heavenly Court’s situation, Li Changshou deliberately returned from Xuandu City through the vortex, re-entering the internal realms of Heaven and Earth. This made it easier to connect with his paper Daoist clones.

He briefly surveyed the Five Continents with his divine sense, then returned to the Heavenly Court. Seeing Mu Gong in stable command and all areas peaceful, he was about to go and urge Ling’e to cultivate.

However, as his immortal sense swept through, he noticed many off-duty Heavenly Soldiers and female immortals gathered in various parts of the Heavenly Court, watching bronze mirrors.

Had something major occurred?

Li Changshou’s paper Daoist appeared in the depths of the Grand White Palace. He activated the bronze mirror, glanced at the 'most-watched channel' at that moment, and was genuinely stunned for a moment by the title he saw:

‘Dream Team-Up: Deputy Commander Bian Zhuang of the Heavenly River Naval Forces and True Lord of Pure Origin and Miraculous Dao Launch Surprise Attack on Demon Stronghold Mount Beidu!’

No… no way…

Li Changshou's mouth twitched frantically. He carefully clicked on the text, and a cheerful drum beat filled the air, revealing Bian Zhuang reciting forcibly rhyming verses. In the distance, the sky was filled with demonic energy, and a figure was constantly charging and fighting, overwhelming dozens of great demons until they couldn’t even lift their heads.

“Today, I aim to reach the heavens! I, Mount Beidu, howl! Behold, Pure Origin possesses the wondrous Dao! Kill! A thousand foes shall roam no more! A thousand demon troops are nothing, what about ancient great demons? If your karma is heavy, the three-pointed, double-edged spear will claim your life…”

His hand trembled. Li Changshou opened the recording area in the large bronze mirror, saw the recently launched ‘Follow’ feature, and checked the backend statistics. When he found Yang Jian’s exclusive bronze mirror mark ranked second, the sheer magnitude of the number displayed…

It was utterly staggering, sending a chill down his spine.

Li Changshou couldn’t help but gape, his mind momentarily ceasing to function. He then slumped, his forehead etched with 'black lines' of disbelief, and a tiny white primordial spirit floated from his mouth.

He had spent so many resources and a century of painstaking effort, only to cultivate a Heavenly Court record-keeper?

Where was the aloof demeanor?

Yang Jian, where was your tsundere side—no, your pride? Why engage in entertainment when you could be a distinguished Heavenly Court War God!

This was absolutely maddening.

Meanwhile, in a prosperous city within the Shang tribe of South Jambudvipa, a young girl sat on a swing, holding a bronze mirror. Watching the lively scene on the screen, she couldn’t help but smile faintly.

“The Heavenly Court seems far more entertaining than the mortal realm,” she mused.

In the depths of the Chaos Sea, in a place where Daoist principles converged in chaos,

The passage of time felt indistinct within the Chaos Sea; its speed was entirely dependent on one’s own perception. At this moment, Kunpeng felt a considerable amount of time had passed, yet the mark he left at the ‘old spot’ still hadn't been triggered.

‘Why is this junior so sluggish? Can he truly resist the urge to come explore the Chaos Sea?’

The demon master Kunpeng narrowed his long, fish-like eyes and then inwardly examined the brand imprinted on his primordial spirit.

That damned scoundrel!

‘Once this branding matter of yours is complete, this humble Daoist vows to tear your compatriot to shreds! Scoundrel!’

His colossal body erupted with surging Daoist principle fluctuations, causing a subtle ripple of aura in the Chaos Sea. On the path of Primordial exotic beasts transforming into Chaos exotic beasts, Demon Master Kunpeng was clearly at the vanguard of all Primordial beasts.