Chapter 594: Reascending the Zi Xiao Palace

Li Changshou hastily returned to the East Heaven Gate, riding on the back of the Golden-Winged Roc. He immediately revealed the Water God's divine authority artifact, an item that could not be faked.

The heavenly generals were stunned at first, then collectively stepped forward to greet him.

"Lord Star Monarch!""Star Monarch, you've finally returned!""Greetings, Star Monarch!"

The scene was somewhat chaotic, but Li Changshou did not reply. His face was tense as he nodded to a few of the heavenly generals before swiftly entering the East Heaven Gate.

Since the Dao Ancestor had issued an 'invitation for interrogation', Li Changshou dared not delay and could only hastily bid farewell to Yun Xiao.

Seeing Li Changshou's urgent expression, Zhao Gongming didn't press for details. He simply arranged for them to drink together later, then proceeded to visit Three Immortals Island.

He naturally couldn't tell Yun Xiao about the Dao Ancestor summoning him to Zixiao Palace for a reprimand, to spare her from excessive worry. After all, Yun Xiao already knew quite a lot by this point, including the existence of Senior Lang.

Upon entering the East Heaven Gate, Li Changshou did not conceal his aura. Instead, he deliberately spread his Dao aura and ostentatiously flew rapidly towards the Ninth Heaven.

He flew as fast as he could, creating as much commotion as possible.

From the deepest part of the Ninth Heaven, the path to Zixiao Palace could be found—provided Zixiao Palace wished to be found.

Li Changshou's figure transformed into a daytime comet, soaring directly into the deepest reaches of the Heavenly Palace! He was brimming with urgency.

When he decided to let Kunpeng swallow the Grandmist Violet Qi, Li Changshou had already considered various subsequent scenarios. Acting without a plan is a grave mistake.

The main reason Li Changshou decided to defy the will of the Dao Ancestor and the Heavenly Dao at this moment, and not accept the wisp of Grandmist Violet Qi, was his certainty that he would not be annihilated by the Heavenly Dao for refusing it.

The reasons behind this are complex to explain, but can be simply understood as: He was still useful.

Therefore, Li Changshou understood at that time that after he had dealt with the Grandmist Violet Qi and Kunpeng's return to the Primordial World, he would very likely face a wave of punishment. The most severe scenario, in fact, was the descent of Heavenly Punishment, where the Dao Ancestor, his master, would give him no warning and simply heavily injure him as a warning to others.

Although the Dao Ancestor, his master, seemed furious with this summons to Zixiao Palace, a careful consideration of his words revealed that he had been given ample room to maneuver. The Dao Ancestor's unspoken meaning was for him to find a suitable reason that would save face for everyone.

Refusing the Grandmist Violet Qi meant refusing to be bound to the Heavenly Dao. In the current Primordial World, the nature of this matter could be extremely severe, or it could be minimized and ultimately fade away. If he couldn't provide an answer satisfactory to the Heavenly Dao and the Dao Ancestor today, his subsequent series of plans would all be affected.

This was not a gamble, but a choice Li Changshou had made. Li Changshou certainly didn't think he was qualified to contend with the Heavenly Dao and the Dao Ancestor at this point; he was still far from it in all aspects.

Upon reaching the Ninth Heaven, Li Changshou suddenly realized something. The information contained within that wisp of Grandmist Violet Qi—specifically, Zhao Gongming's impending calamity—was very likely added by the Dao Ancestor at the precise moment Kunpeng swallowed him and the Grandmist Violet Qi.

Was this a warning for himself?

What exactly happened, Li Changshou couldn't be sure at this moment. He could only wait to see the intensity of the Dao Ancestor's upcoming punishment and the words he would speak.

Hmm... It would be best if the highly embarrassing act of Heavenly Punishment whipping his buttocks didn't happen. He was going to Zixiao Palace alone this time, so there was no need to display it for others to see.

"Chang Geng!" A shout suddenly reached his ears. Li Changshou stopped and turned his head to look, seeing the Jade Emperor's avatar approaching on a cloud from the side, with a hint of worry in his eyes.

Clearly, Quan Dong truly understood this time.

The area was filled with ethereal clouds and mist, and there was no one else around. Li Changshou bowed and smiled, "Why are you here?"

"To wait for you, of course," Quan Dong said with a serious expression, then took the initiative to ask, "Do you need me to accompany you to Zixiao Palace?"

After speaking, Quan Dong even winked at Li Changshou.

Li Changshou smiled, "Grandmaster's summons should only be a few words of admonition. Your Majesty, you needn't worry. Alas, I was too hasty then, not expecting the true Grandmist Violet Qi to suddenly appear. In my eagerness to manifest and pursue it, I almost let Kunpeng escape. In the end, there was nothing I could do; I couldn't separate the Grandmist Violet Qi from Kunpeng's primordial spirit. I was careless."

"Very well."

Quan Dong smiled, "When you get to Zixiao Palace, admit your mistakes properly. The Dao Ancestor is magnanimous and won't be petty with you. The Heavenly Court is currently facing troubles everywhere; we truly cannot do without you, so go and return quickly. Be sure not to contradict the Dao Ancestor."

Li Changshou knew full well that the Jade Emperor was expressing his stance to the Dao Ancestor for Li Changshou's sake.

His heart felt warm. Li Changshou bowed deeply to Quan Dong, then turned and continued towards beyond the Ninth Heaven. This body might not be tolerated by this world, but to have a few fellow Daoists and confidants was comfort enough.

Quan Dong looked up and watched Li Changshou's retreating figure for a while, then sighed as his own figure returned to the Heavenly Palace.

Meanwhile, on Three Immortals Island, Yun Xiao stood on a beach. Having changed into her own long dress, she had folded the Daoist robe and draped it over her arm, quietly gazing at the sky in the northwest. A hint of worry was in her eyes.

Behind her, Qiong Xiao, Bi Xiao, and several cultivating fairies on the island were arranging wine and immortal fruits to welcome her back.

"Big Brother," Qiong Xiao nudged Zhao Gongming's arm and whispered, "What's wrong with Elder Sister?"

Zhao Gongming stroked his beard and chuckled, "She's probably thinking of her beloved. After all, they just spent decades together, and it's normal to feel a bit unaccustomed to being suddenly separated."

Upon hearing this, Qiong Xiao furrowed her delicate brows. As she knelt on the meditation mat, a hint of worry appeared in her eyes.

"Big Brother, you said..."

"Said what?"

Qiong Xiao whispered, "If Elder Sister marries into the Grand Pure Palace, will Fourth Sister and I go with her too?"

"Well," Zhao Gongming found it genuinely difficult to answer for a moment. "You'll have to discuss that among yourselves then, but that should be after the great tribulation. At that time, you can go wherever you wish, and there won't be as many restrictions as there are now."

"Alas, I hope so."

Qiong Xiao clicked her tongue. "Anyway, I don't want to go, to avoid gossip."

Zhao Gongming chuckled twice and said no more on the matter.

Bi Xiao softly called out from the side. Yun Xiao turned and floated over, her expression having returned to its usual aloofness. But perhaps it was Zhao Gongming and the others' misconception, Yun Xiao seemed a bit gentler than usual. Her beautiful eyes, when she looked around, were like water, and her words were more numerous than usual, which greatly impressed Qiong Xiao and Bi Xiao.

The immortals' conversation naturally revolved around the current great tribulation. Yun Xiao specifically instructed the several fairies on the island not to venture out for the next few hundred years, warning that if they suddenly felt an urge to go out for no reason, it was very likely the tribulation at work.

The fairies, of course, readily agreed. Whether they would actually listen was another matter entirely.

Han Zhi sighed, "I wonder if my master's reincarnated self will be affected by this great tribulation."

"That black panther?"

Qiong Xiao held a luminous cup beside her small face and smiled, "This great tribulation primarily affects the Jie, Chan, and Western sects, so it naturally has nothing to do with him. Don't overthink it; a reincarnated person is no longer the former self."

"Mmm," Han Zhi replied, but deep down, that concern always lingered.

"Oh, Big Brother," Qiong Xiao casually tossed a grape into the air and precisely caught it in her mouth, then said, "A few years ago, Senior Sister Jin Ling seemed to have taken a disciple named Wen [something], and brought him to Biyou Palace for training."

"Oh?"

Zhao Gongming asked with a smile, "A male or female disciple?"

"A male disciple, and I heard he's quite handsome."

Zhao Gongming's figure instantly vanished, leaving behind only the remark that he was going to Biyou Palace to pay respects to their master, and a trail of spatial ripples.

Qiong Xiao blinked and muttered, "Are disciples all this wary?"

Yun Xiao pondered for a moment and said, "Big Brother doesn't have much confidence. It might be related to Senior Sister Jin Ling's unwillingness to openly discuss their relationship."

Bi Xiao whispered, "Let Junior Brother Chang Geng give some ideas; he has so many of them."

"He's probably off dealing with a difficult problem right now," Yun Xiao said, glancing at the sky. "Let's figure this out among ourselves and not bother him. Later, I'll go talk to Senior Sister Jin Ling to see what her concerns are. Alright, stop talking about these things behind their backs. Have you made any progress in your recent cultivation and comprehension?"

The joys and sorrows of living beings each have their own reasons, and the world's joys and sorrows are not all the same; except for homework, it's all life.

Beyond the Heavens, at Zixiao Palace.

A streak of light flew out from the ethereal colorful clouds directly beneath Zixiao Palace, transforming into Li Changshou's original appearance. Holding up the front of his Daoist robe, he ascended the steps in front of the hall. His face was flushed, his forehead beaded with sweat, and his eyes held a hint of trepidation.

Before even reaching the hall, he had already bowed his head, closed his eyes, and cleared his throat. Only then did he quickly run up the last dozen or so steps and rush into the empty hall of Zixiao Palace.

"Disciple Li Changshou has specially come to request punishment!"

His voice echoed throughout the hall. His figure, stopped just beyond the hall entrance, stood silently, maintaining the bowing posture, motionless. He stood there for three hours.

A few beads of cold sweat appeared on Li Changshou's forehead, which he immediately evaporated. His Adam's apple trembled erratically a few times, as if there was some ferocious beast in this place that could take his life at any moment. His slightly exaggerated nervousness paradoxically revealed no trace of acting.

Until a cold laugh came from the front: "What, has Star Monarch Taibai turned into a log? Why are you standing there like a pillar?"

Li Changshou quickly lowered his head even further, and cupped his hands, saying, "Grandmaster has not summoned me forward; this disciple dares not advance."

"Dares not?" The voice immediately gained a hint of anger, cursing, "What else do you dare not do!"

Li Changshou's legs instantly went limp, and he knelt prostrate on the floor, which shimmered with starlight and hid traces of the Dao, without uttering a word.

Inside the hall, on the Dao Ancestor's extra-large meditation mat, the robust old Daoist slowly 'grew' out of streaks of flowing light and furiously cursed:

"The Grandmist Violet Qi I gave you, if you didn't value it, you could have simply passed it on to any Daoist disciple. Instead, you went to such great lengths to transfer it to Kunpeng! Do you think I don't know Kunpeng's true nature?"

Li Changshou hastily said, "This disciple absolutely had no such intention! That day, when Kunpeng attacked, and I suddenly saw that wisp of true Grandmist Violet Qi, I immediately lost my composure. The Grandmist Violet Qi is of immense importance; it is an opportunity for enlightenment and for living beings to transcend. This disciple feared that the Violet Qi would be seized by the Demon Ancestor's generals, to the point of putting Kunpeng's matter aside! This disciple had previously sought the help of Martial Uncle Tongtian to surround and kill Kunpeng, and at that time, to protect that wisp of Grandmist Violet Qi, I even went against my promise to Saint Martial Uncle!"

Dao Ancestor Hongjun was silent for a moment, his gaze fixed on Li Changshou, who was prostrate before the hall entrance. He calmly asked, "You truly never schemed like this?"

"Grandmaster, please be my witness," Li Changshou sighed. "You know this disciple's temperament; I always plan before acting and would never make a move without great confidence. At that time, I don't know what happened, but the Grandmist Violet Qi suddenly appeared almost at the same time as the fake Violet Qi that this disciple had designed. This disciple initially mistook it, only realizing the truth when His Majesty the Jade Emperor's avatar beside me reminded me. At that time, this disciple didn't overthink anything and hastily moved to protect this rare opportunity for enlightenment in the world, which rightfully belongs to our Dao Sect. What if it were snatched away by those mighty beings?"

"Heh." The Dao Ancestor chuckled, "Are you implying that I should reward you?"

"This disciple dares not ask for a reward!" Li Changshou buried his head again and loudly proclaimed, "This disciple merely did what was expected of a Dao Sect disciple. Without the Dao Sect, there would be no disciple!"

"In that case, I ask you again," the Dao Ancestor said, his aura growing stronger, "Why did you not kill Kunpeng, even though you could have?"

"This, this..." Li Changshou stammered. "It's only because this disciple had previously promised Martial Uncle Tongtian, when asking him to intercept Kunpeng, that the condition was not to kill Kunpeng first, but to leave him for Martial Uncle Tongtian to play with."

"Then why did you insist on asking Tongtian to act? Could it be that you intentionally wanted to spare Kunpeng's life?"

"Grandmaster, please see clearly, without Martial Uncle Tongtian's help, this disciple's confidence in the entire plan wouldn't even reach 97%. Only with Martial Uncle Tongtian's intervention did this disciple have 98% confidence in trapping Kunpeng!"

"Hmm?" Li Changshou felt a flash of light and shadow before him. He looked up and saw the Dao Ancestor standing before him with a gloomy expression. This time, he genuinely shivered.

"Boy, repeat what you just said."

"Only with Sect Master Tongtian's intervention, this disciple had 98%..."

*Crack!* Purple lightning burst forth, filling the entire Zixiao Palace with light. The Three Thousand Great Daos gently trembled.

A moment later, Li Changshou lay scorched black on the ground, his cheek pressed against the smooth floor of Zixiao Palace. He opened his mouth and spat out a tiny white primordial spirit, with a few spiral patterns on its head.

The Dao Ancestor sat back on his meditation mat, watching Li Changshou in front of the hall entrance with a pleased expression, and even humming a cheerful tune.

"Striking others doesn't feel like much, but striking you is different. Come here. Consider this matter dealt with."

Li Changshou sprang up with a 'carp flipping its tail' motion and grinned at the Dao Ancestor, revealing a mouthful of large white teeth on his scorched black face, which added to his appearance of honest simplicity.

"Thank you, Grandmaster, for your magnanimity, for not holding this disciple accountable for losing the Grandmist Violet Qi."

The Dao Ancestor snorted and coldly said, "This matter is not yet over. Why did you not bring Kunpeng back to the Primordial World?"

"This disciple was mainly concerned about the Heavenly Court's image," Li Changshou hastily said. "Kunpeng is an ancient fierce beast, an entity that everyone should be able to slay. If Kunpeng were to return to the Three Realms and serve the Heavenly Court, or if it were rumored that he was subdued by this disciple, the Heavenly Court's reputation would likely collapse directly."

"The Heavenly Court's reputation?" The Dao Ancestor coldly said, "I think you gained benefits from your fellow townsman and used Kunpeng as a contingency plan."

"Well..." Li Changshou's thoughts raced, and he lowered his head, saying, "Grandmaster, please don't be offended. This disciple's nature is just like this; I'm afraid of death to a certain extent."

"So you know!"

"This disciple is certainly aware of this flaw," Li Changshou hastily said. "Please rest assured, Grandmaster. This disciple will firmly stand with the Heavenly Court and will not be influenced by others' words."

"Actually, it doesn't matter," the Dao Ancestor said with a touch of melancholy. "When your fellow townsman was annihilated back then, I saw his memories and knew what he left behind. I originally thought that, knowing his defeat was inevitable, he would use Kunpeng to leave the Primordial World, but unexpectedly... he ultimately returned."

Li Changshou did not reply, only standing silently.

The Dao Ancestor then asked, "Chang Geng, how much do you know about this matter?"

"Well, I don't actually know much; I can only guess at some bits and pieces." Li Changshou wiped his face and said earnestly, "Past events have passed. Learning history is about drawing lessons from it, not about mocking ancient people to satisfy so-called vanity. Grandmaster, from the clues left by that senior, it can be judged that he knew at the time that he was being reckless and wrong."

"There is no inherent right or wrong in the world, only different aspirations." The Dao Ancestor sighed softly, looked at Li Changshou for a few moments, then casually pointed.

The scorched black marks around Li Changshou faded, and the damage to his Daoist robe healed itself.

Dao Ancestor Hongjun said slowly, "I also have my own selfish desires. Pangu once said that to transcend, one must abandon the self. Therefore, after Pangu returned to the world, he reached a state of no-self, no-things, which can also be considered his own transcendence. Chang Geng, I... I know you have your own opinions and ideas. But now, this world is only a few steps away from establishing a stable order, and you are the most suitable person for the task. You actually don't need to feel burdened, nor do you need to overthink this. I can give you a promise. After you have assisted the Heavenly Court in establishing the order of the Three Realms, if you wish to roam freely between heaven and earth, I can grant you unrestrained freedom. Your self-discipline and self-love are what I am most satisfied with. If you wish to embark on the path of finding your homeland, or if you wish to cultivate in seclusion, I will also instruct Haotian not to try to keep you. How about it?"

Li Changshou deliberately paused, then his face lit up with joy as he bowed deeply. "This disciple thanks Grandmaster for your great kindness! This disciple truly doesn't know how to repay you!"

"Alright, stop with these false pretenses," Dao Ancestor Hongjun waved his hand. "Remember what I told you last time, and go back. That wisp of Grandmist Violet Qi was swallowed by Kunpeng, and the ninth Grandmist Violet Qi is not in my possession either, so I am powerless to give it to you even if I wished to. Go and assist the Heavenly Court well, and complete the Investiture of the Gods."

"Yes!" Li Changshou firmly replied, and bowed again. He retreated more than ten steps with his head bowed before turning towards the hall entrance.

After hastily walking several hundred steps, with the hall entrance now before him, Li Changshou suddenly heard a shout from behind: "Chang Geng, in your heart, am I like this?"

Li Changshou subconsciously turned his head to look. His Dao heart trembled slightly. He saw the Dao Ancestor sitting on the meditation mat, a faint cold smile on his lips, his face grim and inexplicably terrifyingly cold, the cold light in his eyes seeming capable of piercing one's Dao heart.

Li Changshou pursed his lips and whispered, "Grandmaster, you scared this disciple."

"Go," the Dao Ancestor said, wiping his face. The grim expression vanished, replaced by his usual genial demeanor. "Don't overthink it."

"Yes." Li Changshou walked out of the Zixiao Palace main hall with his head lowered, his eyes slightly narrowed, then quickly adopted a look of lingering fear as he descended the steps with his head bowed.