Chapter 579: Suiren and Fire Virtue, The Great Dao Never Extinguishes

How does one describe the Human Emperor before them? Gaunt and weary, yet his eyes shone brightly, as if they could penetrate every corner of one’s heart.

When Li Changshou introduced himself and bowed respectfully, Xuan Yuan the Yellow Emperor, who was standing nearby, introduced Li Changshou’s current ‘achievements.’ The previously extremely weak Suiren then threw his head back and laughed loudly. His hearty laughter seemed to contain endless divine power and magic, making one instinctively want to join in. It also prompted reflection on how majestic and powerful this scrawny old man must have been in ancient times.

“Good, good! It’s excellent that the Heavenly Court has a minister of human origin who can speak before the Jade Emperor! Hahahaha!”

Suiren cupped his hands and said loudly, “Young friend, would you care to join me down here?”

“Senior, you humble me,” Li Changshou replied, bowing again, and immediately descended on his cloud.

Among the retired Human Emperors, only Xuan Yuan the Yellow Emperor and Emperor Yu followed him down. The others remained above, watching with smiles.

Suiren frowned and coughed a few times, looking down at his frail body with a hint of disdain. He casually unfastened his tattered clothes, revealing his almost shriveled body without reservation. Then, he parted the void to retrieve a clean, long robe and put it on.

Li Changshou had landed on the magma lake. Suiren’s eyes immediately crinkled with a smile. Just as he was about to step forward, illusory chains suddenly appeared around him.

The power of the Heavenly Dao!

This elder Human Emperor merely took half a step forward, and the magma beneath his feet instantly solidified. The chains silently transformed into silver feathers, scattering in all directions.

How powerful.

Li Changshou secretly praised him in his heart, feeling the immense pressure emanating from the old Human Emperor’s previous step, which caused his Dao heart to tremble slightly. It seemed this old man, emaciated from the torment of demonic energy, still possessed the imposing stature he had when he once strode across the heavens.

“I’ve made a spectacle of myself.” Suiren said in a husky voice, then lowered his head and coughed twice. With a sweep of his long sleeve, a low table and four chairs rose from the ground, and he gestured for them to sit wherever they pleased.

Xuan Yuan the Yellow Emperor smiled at Li Changshou and took a seat to Suiren’s left, with Emperor Yu on the right. Seeing this, Li Changshou did not decline. He pulled his chair back about two feet, thanked him, and then sat down properly.

“Cough, cough, cough.”

Suiren lowered his head and coughed twice. With trembling fingers, he parted the void and produced a set of stone-made wine vessels. “I don’t have any fine wine here. This was brewed in my early years; I wonder if it suits your taste.”

Li Changshou stood up and said, “Senior, allow me.”

“A guest is a guest. Please sit.” Suiren said with a gentle smile, yet his words carried a subtle aura of dominance. Unquestionable, unrefutable, even a calm glance exuded immense authority.

“In the past ten thousand years, have there been any disturbances in the Southern or Central Continents?”

Li Changshou mused for a moment, while Emperor Yu chuckled beside him, “Senior, rest assured, the Four Seas are peaceful, and there are no disturbances.”

“That’s good,” Suiren nodded. He then casually pulled out a dry pipe, tapped it against the table corner, expertly loaded a bit of tobacco, lit it, and took a puff.

The Yellow Emperor waved his hand to clear the smoke and frowned, saying, “Senior, you embody the virtue of fire, but what is the meaning of your fire producing smoke?”

“Cough, cough, cough!” Suiren sighed, “This is the only little pleasure I have left. Can’t you let me indulge myself? By the way, what position does young Li currently hold in the Heavenly Court?”

“Lord Taibai Xingjun and God of Water,” Li Changshou chuckled, “I usually don’t have much specific to do, just travel around, observe, and offer some advice to His Majesty the Jade Emperor.”

“Oh? A strategist? How is your physical body so formidable?”

“Just a small means of self-defense, senior; please forgive my humble display.”

“Has the Heavenly Court become so powerful?” Suiren frowned slightly, took a puff from his jade pipe, and sighed, “In that case, my human race will face even more restrictions, and the separation between immortals and mortals is probably irreversible.”

Emperor Yu chuckled beside him, “Senior, don’t let Chang Geng deceive you; he’s no ordinary civil official.”

“An ordinary civil official can’t go to Spirit Mountain and smash a saint’s Daoist temple gate,” Xuan Yuan the Yellow Emperor said, his mouth twitching slightly. “Being a general in the Heavenly Court is indeed immensely stressful.”

“Oh?” Suiren’s eyes lit up, and he looked at Li Changshou with a smile. “Tell me in detail; let me see what kind of junior has emerged from our human race.”

Li Changshou quickly said, “My humble achievements are not worth mentioning. It’s merely due to some good fortune, with my teacher’s continuous guidance, His Majesty the Jade Emperor’s constant care, and the relentless efforts of my Heavenly Court comrades, that I’ve achieved some results. The foundation for all this is my human origin and the protection of the human race’s fortune. Thinking back, if not for Senior Suiren blazing trails and lighting the torch for humanity in the darkness, and if not for the painstaking efforts of all you seniors to lay a solid foundation for the great prosperity of the human race, how could I, your junior, be here today?”

The Human Emperors who had retreated to the lake surface to wait exchanged glances upon hearing this, then stroked their beards and laughed heartily. The Yellow Emperor and Yu, who were at the bottom of the lake, also smiled. Suiren, however, straightened his face and said, “How is your eloquence so impressive, offending no one with just a few words? If you were like this in ancient times, you’d be strung up and beaten in the army! You are now the representative of the human race in the Heavenly Court; how can you be so slick? You must have the proud bones of the human race, a backbone of steel! Cough, cough, cough!”

Li Changshou blinked and quickly said, “Senior, I genuinely admire all the venerable ancestors from the bottom of my heart; I am not trying to curry favor.”

Xuan Yuan the Yellow Emperor chuckled beside them: “Senior, just think, what do we have that Chang Geng needs to curry favor for? He is the main orchestrator of this great tribulation, personally appointed by the Dao Ancestor and personally conferred by the Jade Emperor. Six or seven hundred years ago, the Heavenly Court was quite weak. It was this fellow sitting before you who single-handedly outwitted the West, captured dragons, slaughtered demons, and forcefully propped up the Heavenly Court. Nowadays, both in heaven and on earth, from the Purple Heaven Palace to the Six Paths of Reincarnation, Chang Geng can go anywhere. Great Virtuous Houtu is familiar with him, and he comes and goes freely from the Holy Mother’s Palace. When the six saints in the Purple Heaven Palace discussed the Investiture of the Gods tribulation, the Dao Ancestor even grabbed him and spanked his bottom thirty-six times, tearing his clothes, yet he was completely fine. A junior praises you out of respect, and you get angry about it? Do you think everyone should be like me, always having a casual retort with you, to prove they have a steel backbone?”

This...

Li Changshou frowned, looking at Xuan Yuan the Yellow Emperor. Even his own thick skin couldn't withstand this barrage at the moment.

Suiren studied Li Changshou for a few moments, then chuckled, “Is that so? Then allow me to apologize; I mistakenly took you for a spineless individual.”

Emperor Yu laughed, “He’s not soft; he’s very tough.”

“Sirs, venerable seniors, please don’t talk about me anymore,” Li Changshou said seriously. “I wonder if Senior Suiren has a method to suppress his demonic energy. Although this time had an effect, it seems to only treat the symptoms, not the root cause.”

Suiren couldn’t help but chuckle twice, sighing, “That’s very thoughtful of you. But there’s no need to exert yourself too much. I’m currently sustained by this demonic energy; I’ve long been indistinguishable from an immortal or a demon. If I didn’t still have things on my mind, I would have long since faded away with my old friends, and wouldn’t be suffering here. To completely eradicate the demonic energy, one must transform their soul.”

Li Changshou quickly said, “Even so, it’s not without a solution, senior, look.” He pointed to Mei Wen-hua, who was sitting cross-legged behind them, recuperating, and explained a few things via telepathy. This time, Suiren truly frowned in silence, a hint of shock flashing in his eyes.

Mei Wen-hua: A rare case of humanity taming an Outer Realm Heavenly Demon.

“How did our human race produce such an oddity as you? Odd in a good way, wonderfully odd,” Suiren sighed. “If humanity had a few more juniors like you, I would depart with peace of mind. But it’s still not necessary. Demons have their advantages, and gods have their constraints. This way, it’s quite good.”

Li Changshou immediately understood in his heart. He likely realized that Suiren did not wish to sacrifice his strength merely to alleviate his own suffering.

Emperor Yu chuckled, “Senior, you jest. A peculiar person like Chang Geng appears only once in tens of thousands of years.”

“Speaking of peculiar people...” A hint of emotion appeared in Suiren’s eyes, and he sighed, “The one I admire most, in fact, is still Eastern Emperor Taiyi. He was a great enemy of our human race, but putting aside our differing stances, he was truly a peerless hero. It’s just a pity that the demon race massacred humanity; the blood feud is irreconcilable.”

Li Changshou asked, “May I be so bold as to ask, Senior, when did you assume the position of Human Emperor?”

“Before the demon race raised their butcher’s knives against my human race,” Suiren said, his eyes filled with memories. He then closed his eyes and sighed softly, allowing the smoke from the pipe in his hand to waft upwards as he sank into his recollections, unwilling to awaken.

Li Changshou secretly wondered if he should invite those nineteen demon soldiers to take a stroll in Fire Cloud Cave. Then, on second thought, that might reopen old wounds, so for safety’s sake, it was better to maintain the status quo.

“Young Li.”

“I’m here, Senior.”

“Does the Jade Emperor harbor any apprehension towards the human race?”

“None whatsoever,” Li Changshou said seriously. “His Majesty the Jade Emperor is an ambitious Heavenly Emperor. Although directly appointed by the Dao Ancestor, he himself maintains a clean and honorable character. When the Heavenly Court had not yet risen to prominence, His Majesty the Jade Emperor once boated on the West Sea…”

At the volcanic crater at the bottom of the lake, Li Changshou took the initiative in the conversation and began to speak fluently. He spoke of the Jade Emperor's virtues, the decline of the demon race, highlighted the current main problem of the human race — the encroachment of immortals upon mortals — and explained in detail how the Heavenly Court was addressing it.

Xuan Yuan the Yellow Emperor and Emperor Yu also listened intently, while Suiren would occasionally point out one or two crucial points, prompting Li Changshou to ponder for a long time before providing a suitable answer.

On the lake surface, several emperors had already flown to a resting place nearby on their clouds, and the conversation naturally revolved around Li Changshou. Although they weren't well-acquainted, each of them offered high praise.

Half a day later, Xuan Yuan the Yellow Emperor, Emperor Yu, and Li Changshou ascended together from the bottom of the lake. The volcano, sealed by the great formation at the bottom of the lake, returned to its original state. Meanwhile, Suiren sat cross-legged in the magma lake, with wisps of black energy swirling around him, appearing more than a hundred times more comfortable than before.

Emperor Yu chuckled, “If, in the future, we could bring this... Daoist friend here every hundred years, Senior Suiren’s predicament could be largely resolved.”

“Mhm,” Li Changshou nodded in agreement. “Later, I will definitely continue to try to rescue more Heavenly Demons and allow them to bathe once again in the light of the Heavenly Dao.”

Not far away, Mei Wen-hua, hearing this, immediately became excited, her eyes filled with reverence.

Xuan Yuan the Yellow Emperor’s eyes crinkled with a smile, and he invited Li Changshou to a nearby pavilion. This time, they were to finalize the details of the plot against Kunpeng, and what the retired Human Emperors of Fire Cloud Cave needed to do.

A scheme revolving around Xuandu City officially began.

The Underworld, Reincarnation Tower outside Fengdu City.

On the top floor of the Reincarnation Tower, Ksitigarbha sat in his usual spot, unchanged for ten thousand years. Leaning against the windowsill, he enjoyed the cool breeze, a compassionate expression on his face. In the corner opposite Ksitigarbha, Maitreya sat casually, flexing his fingers, his gaze somewhat dim. At the stairwell, the large green-furred dog was currently bruised and swollen, huddled in a ball, with two swirling bumps on its head. The entire divine beast was visibly swollen, clearly having received a thorough beating.

Maitreya, still not quite satisfied, said coldly, “Junior Brother, if you don’t control your dog, I will truly resort to lethal force.”

“The Heavenly Court ordered it to assist in the search for Outer Realm Heavenly Demons; how could it refuse?”

Ksitigarbha calmly asked, “Senior Brother, have you suffered some humiliation in the past century, and come here to vent your anger?”

“Tsk tsk,” Maitreya chuckled softly. “Previously, it was not suitable for me to appear, as I was being closely investigated by the Heavenly Court, and I also had some important matters to attend to. However, I did not heed Junior Brother’s advice and insisted on having a quarrel with Lord Taibai Xingjun, falling into his traps several times. This person is different from you and me; what he thinks in his heart is truly unfathomable.”

Ksitigarbha looked helpless. “Why can’t Spirit Mountain and the Heavenly Court coexist?”

“Junior Brother, are you suggesting that Spirit Mountain should bow to the Heavenly Court?”

“Why not?”

“Such words are truly a bit rebellious. I don’t mind them myself, but don’t let our two masters hear them.”

Maitreya’s smile deepened, but his eyes were somewhat unfocused as he slowly said, “Sometimes, I can’t help but wonder what the great prosperity our two masters speak of truly means. In terms of people, when our Spirit Mountain was at its peak, we had hundreds of disciples and over a thousand followers. Now, our footprint extends across three thousand worlds, with so many hidden forces at our command. Yet, it’s still not considered great prosperity.”

“Great prosperity lies in fortune,” Ksitigarbha slowly said. “Only when great fortune converges can it be called great prosperity.”

Maitreya said, “But what is called great fortune is merely bestowed by the Heavenly Dao. So it can be said – whoever the Heavenly Dao wishes to prosper, will prosper greatly.”

Ksitigarbha shook his head slightly. “The Heavenly Dao merely seeks the stability of heaven and earth, and living beings are also a part of heaven and earth.”

“Living beings are animate, heaven and earth are inanimate, and the Heavenly Dao is the rule. Does the Heavenly Dao constantly tighten the boundaries of the Great Dao that living beings can reach, restricting their power, truly only for the stability of heaven and earth?”

“Otherwise?”

“I have no answer,” Maitreya slowly said with a sigh and a smile. “How long has it been since you and I discussed the Dao? Shall we have a session today?”

“No need,” Ksitigarbha calmly refused. “You and I are no longer on the same path, nor do we follow the same Dao.”

“The path is beneath our feet; how can it be different paths?”

“Our visions diverge; the road ahead is already different.”

Maitreya said, “All things in the world exist within a single heaven and earth. The paths of all beings lead to the same destination, which is ultimately nirvana.”

Ksitigarbha countered, “Nirvana is merely for the next rebirth. Heaven and earth should also experience reincarnation.”

Maitreya said, “After reincarnation, will heaven and earth still be the same heaven and earth? The Dao has changed; there will be no more Primordial World.”

Ksitigarbha fell silent, sitting there in thought for a while.

Maitreya smiled, leaned against the wall, and stared blankly at the top of the tower for a while. After an unknown period, Maitreya stood up and chuckled, “Junior Brother, if you have nothing more to say, I shall take my leave now.”

Ksitigarbha frowned and asked, “Do you still intend to contend?”

“No, no need,” Maitreya waved his hand and then patted his stomach. “The last time Yang Jian came to smash Spirit Mountain, both sides’ Saints made their stance clear. Spirit Mountain and Jade Void Palace uniting is already a tacit agreement between them. At this point, doing more will only lead to more mistakes. However, I still have some personal grievances with Lord Taibai Xingjun.”

“Senior Brother, don’t forget, it was always you who provoked him first.”

“So what if it was?” Maitreya’s smile instantly became somewhat grim. He said coldly, “After cultivating for many years, all I seek is inner satisfaction. I must, after all, teach him a lesson.” With that, Maitreya flicked his sleeve, and his figure vanished.

Ksitigarbha frowned and pondered for a moment, then sighed and shook his head. He raised his hand, drew Truth Listener from the stairwell, removed its seals, and began healing its injuries.

Another half-day later, before the exit of Fire Cloud Cave.

Li Changshou, accompanied by Bian Zhuang and Mei Wen-hua, bowed in farewell to the several emperors who had come to see them off. Xuan Yuan the Yellow Emperor, however, stepped forward and smiled, saying, “I shall accompany Chang Geng a bit further to discuss some specific matters.” The emperors agreed with smiles and departed on their respective clouds.

Xuan Yuan the Yellow Emperor invited Li Changshou to join him out of Fire Cloud Cave. Bian Zhuang and Mei Wen-hua waited behind, while Xuan Yuan the Yellow Emperor led Li Changshou for a stroll along the bank of the great marsh. Lush grass grew abundantly, and flowers were red, willows green.

Li Changshou transmitted a message, asking, “Senior, do you have any other matters to impress upon me?”

“Just a small matter,” Xuan Yuan the Yellow Emperor said slowly, hand on the sword at his waist. “You are now in charge of the Investiture of the Gods tribulation, the original intention of which is to enfeoff righteous gods for the Heavenly Court. Today, I’m shamelessly asking you for a divine position. It doesn’t need to be a high-ranking or powerful office, just enough to form an immortal body and live a peaceful life.”

Upon hearing this, two words immediately surfaced in Li Changshou’s mind: Bo Jian.

As expected, when Li Changshou inquired briefly, Xuan Yuan the Yellow Emperor spoke of this name and the past events of his decisive battle with Chiyou. Xuan Yuan sighed, “In my life, I have never let anyone down. In my early years of cultivation, I strayed from the path and incurred three thousand debts of affection, but I always upheld my principles and took responsibility for them to the end. All the generals who followed me had good endings and peace, except for Bo Jian. At that time, his primordial spirit was injured, and he could only suppress himself at the bottom of the deep sea. Taking this opportunity, I must definitely lend a hand.”

Li Changshou said earnestly, “For a character such as this, I imagine His Majesty the Jade Emperor would also be delighted. Allow me to return to the Heavenly Court and report this, discussing it thoroughly with His Majesty. Senior, rest assured, it’s a sure thing.”

Xuan Yuan immediately showed his classic squinting smile. “If you say it’s a sure thing, then I won’t worry about it. Don’t make it too difficult for yourself. Regarding this plan to deal with Kunpeng, how confident are you?”

“The arrangements haven’t been fully deployed yet, so it’s hard to say,” Li Changshou said seriously. “Whether Kunpeng takes the bait is still debatable. Senior, please await my signal. When I crush the jade talisman, you should proceed according to the plan.”

“Should Fire Cloud Cave be isolated from external contact starting today?”

“Acting too early risks alerting the enemy,” Li Changshou pondered seriously. “It’s better to keep everything as usual. I still trust all the seniors in Fire Cloud Cave. It’s just... Senior, do you enjoy drinking?”

“What? Are you afraid I’ll get drunk and mess things up?” Xuan Yuan the Yellow Emperor immediately puffed out his chest and smiled calmly: “If one’s home is not peaceful, how can one bring peace to the world? If the harem is not managed, how can one govern the four directions? My abilities, you know them.”

Li Changshou: ...

Alright, this is a professional—no, a master-level harem manager.

The two chatted for a while longer. Li Changshou asked if Suiren had any other wishes, and Xuan Yuan the Yellow Emperor’s words left him stunned for a long time. It wasn't until he flew with Bian Zhuang and Mei Wen-hua near the Middle Heaven Gate that Li Changshou finally let out a soft sigh.

What Xuan Yuan the Yellow Emperor said was: “Chang Geng, you should actually be able to guess. The reason Senior Suiren has been holding on so resolutely is simply because he doesn’t feel at ease about the human race. The human race is prospering, but the position of Heavenly Emperor was assigned to the Jade Emperor by the Dao Ancestor, meaning humanity is destined to be constrained by the Heavenly Court. A series of events not recorded in ancient texts also occurred at the end of the ancient era, from which it can be concluded that the Heavenly Dao indeed secretly intervened to separate immortals and mortals among humanity, and to lock their fortune within the mortal realm of the Southern Continent. In other words, the Heavenly Dao did not want to see humanity lose control, so it imposed restrictions. Senior Suiren’s existence is a counter-restraint against the Heavenly Dao. He lies at the bottom of the lake, watching the sky. If the heavens were to raise their butcher’s knife against humanity again, he would leap up from the earth. The human race has already overthrown the Heavenly Court once; they wouldn’t mind doing it a second time.”

Perhaps, this was the true Human Emperor, the genuine hero of humanity.

“Mei Wen-hua?” Li Changshou turned to look at the woman, who was lost in thought, and asked, “Can you sense the whereabouts of the other three Heavenly Demons—victims—who entered the Primordial World with you?”

“Yes!” Mei Wen-hua’s eyes showed a hint of eagerness. “Lord, when shall we act? I can’t wait to tell them the truth and save them from their suffering.”

Li Changshou casually asked, “Where are they now?”

“I can only sense their approximate locations,” Mei Wen-hua quickly pointed out three directions. “Mei Mao-bing is in this direction, the closest. Mei Xin-qing is in this direction, second closest. The furthest is Mei Di-xian.”

Li Changshou couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth a few times. Kunpeng’s naming skill is quite flamboyant. One wonders if he was influenced by Senior Lang.