Chapter 604: Little Zhong, A Good Person

"Wow…"

"Hmm…"

On Three Immortals Island, Qiongxiao and Bixiao looked up at the jade statue placed on the mountain peak, protected by their elder sister's array, and uttered various exclamations of admiration.

Bixiao tilted her head. "But why would Brother-in-Law give Big Sister a statue as a gift?"

"Exactly," Qiongxiao murmured. "Logically, if he were giving this kind of gift, it should be his own statue. What's the point of giving Big Sister a statue of herself?" The two young women, one tall and one small, stood in the mountains, gazing intently.

Bixiao blinked. "Should we go touch it and take a look?"

"No, don't bother. Brother-in-Law didn't give it to us." Qiongxiao stretched. "Rather than this, I'm more curious about what Brother-in-Law usually does in the Heavenly Court. Creating a statue like this must have taken him years."

A hint of longing appeared on Bixiao's small face as she whispered: "I heard that once you go to the Heavenly Court, you can increase your cultivation without practicing, and insights are granted by the Heavenly Dao. They say you just work your shifts, then drink, chat, and find partners – it's a carefree life."

"That's just the Heavenly Court's public facade, meant to recruit people. It might even be from our Brother-in-Law's own hand, specifically designed to fool people like you!" Qiongxiao snorted. "Going to the Heavenly Court means being bound, and you have to defer to those of higher rank. Isn't cultivating on our island much more carefree?"

"But we can't find partners here," Bixiao said, a small spark of expectation in her eyes.

Qiongxiao pursed her lips. Her graceful form spun, enveloped in immortal light and a wisp of cloud, revealing a handsome young man. It was still Qiongxiao's face, but it was impossible to discern her gender. "How about it? Talk to your Third Brother."

Bixiao: ...My eyes! How dreadful!

In the pavilion behind the jade statue, a magical artifact specifically for the Investiture of the Gods Tribulation, Li Changshou stood behind a desk, brush in hand, painting the immortal maiden seated silently before him.

Yunxiao reclined beside the bed, eyes downcast, thin lips gently pursed. Her fingertips held a plum blossom, and her right foot peeked out from beneath her skirt. Sitting there, she was a picture in herself, easily captured by a memory orb. Once the painting was complete, Li Changshou put down his brush, and Yunxiao, letting out a soft sigh of relief, returned to an upright posture.

The man and the painting together formed a beautiful scene, embodying the sentiment of finding endless delight in each other's company. Li Changshou casually asked, "Yun, how has Jie School been recently?"

"They are well," Yunxiao replied. "Master has issued strict orders for disciples not to venture out and cause trouble, but to cultivate within their own caves and dojos. However, after several centuries of talk about the impending Great Tribulation with no actual movement, many disciples have grown restless and are contemplating venturing out."

"Their spiritual cultivation is still insufficient," Li Changshou said with a chuckle. He pondered for a moment inwardly, realizing there was no way he could tell Yunxiao the specifics of the Investiture of the Gods. He couldn't just blurt out that the Investiture of the Gods Tribulation would descend in another three or four hundred years, leading to the succession of mortal human emperors, and that all three major sects, entangled in the tribulation's fate, would be drawn into it.

This was the Great Desolation, similar yet not entirely identical to the various myths he knew. Moreover, the Great Investiture Tribulation had already changed so much, making its future progression and beginning entirely unknown. Perhaps the Western Sect would even arrive in Eastern Land Great Shang to spread its teachings ahead of schedule...

After a brief internal deliberation, Li Changshou said, "What the Heavenly Dao manifests is ultimately connected to humanity, so Southern Jambudvipa is naturally the most crucial region."

Yunxiao said, "Senior Sister Jin Ling mentioned having someone inquire about the preferences of the Human Emperors in Huoyun Cave to send them some gifts."

Li Changshou mused for a moment, then recalled something. Bo Jian, a great general of Emperor Xuanyuan, chosen by the Heavenly Dao and the first name on the Investiture of the Gods List, was destined to guard the list during the Great Investiture Tribulation. After the tribulation fully began, the Heavenly Court would also build an Investiture Altar, and Bo Jian would need to be present there. This individual was currently suppressing something in the desolate region where the North Sea and East Sea converged.

Better to be safe. As one of the main orchestrators of this tribulation, although it wasn't yet time for Bo Jian to appear, it would be wise to prepare some gifts, pay him a visit, and establish a good relationship in advance.

"What are you thinking about?"

"Something related to the Investiture of the Gods," Li Changshou chuckled. "Yun, why don't we visit and tour the various Jie School dojos?"

"Is that appropriate?" Yunxiao frowned slightly. "If you appear, they will surely say you're biased towards Jie School, which might cause you trouble."

Li Changshou said solemnly, "Public is public, private is private. Maintaining a clear distinction between the two is my principle. It's already common knowledge that I have personal feelings because of you; trying to hide it would only invite ridicule. Besides, I'm going to scout for potential righteous gods for the Heavenly Court. If they are later drawn into the tribulation, I can use the Investiture of the Gods List to select elite generals for the Heavenly Court."

Hearing this, Yunxiao gave a faint smile and a slight pout. "Lord Star God, you truly are impossible to argue with."

Li Changshou immediately straightened his back and puffed out his chest, adopting the arrogant demeanor of a typical powerful Heavenly Court official. Immediately, leaving the jade statue behind, the two secretly departed from Three Immortals Island and headed directly towards Biyou Palace.

The Investiture of the Gods Tribulation was approaching in the blink of an eye. Li Changshou now felt the unwitting passage of time, often losing himself in thought or a daze for several months at a time. He recalled the past, when the six Saints gathered in Zixiao Palace and dispersed unhappily; it seemed like only a month or two ago. Yet now, in an instant, if he were to undertake another major project, there would essentially be no time left. It was time to make some minor arrangements.

Upon arriving at Biyou Palace, Yunxiao and Li Changshou naturally attracted glances from many core Jie School disciples. Several holy mothers came forward to greet them, and some male immortals exchanged pleasantries, but there was no sign of the Saint or Daoist Duobao. Two attendant immortals of the Grandmaster of Heaven came forward and explained to Li Changshou that their Saintly Master had gone to the Chaos Sea to ascertain the whereabouts of a certain treasure, and would inform Li Changshou as soon as any news was obtained.

A heavy burden was finally lifted from Li Changshou's heart. The matter of lending the Kunpeng to the Grandmaster of Heaven, which he had previously promised, could now be fulfilled as agreed, meaning he wouldn't owe Jie School a favor for nothing. As for whether the Grandmaster could catch up to and secure the treasure, Li Changshou couldn't guarantee it. As was his custom, he would consider matters carefully and do his utmost.

After the immortals exchanged pleasantries and laughter for a while, they attracted many younger disciples who peeked from outside the hall. During their conversation, Li Changshou casually asked, "Senior Brother Gongming mentioned that Senior Sister Jin Ling recently took on a new disciple. May I ask who that is?"

In the hall, a middle-aged Daoist with a fierce countenance but remarkably gentle eyes spoke up in response: "Uncle Chang Geng, are you referring to Junior Brother Wen Zhong?" This Daoist was Yu Yuan, Saint Mother Jin Ling's renowned disciple. His abilities rivaled those of the second-generation Jie School masters, making him one of the most outstanding third-generation disciples of Jie School.

Li Changshou smiled. "It sounds like a Daoist name."

Yu Yuan quickly corrected him, "That's Junior Brother Wen Zhong's given name, not a Daoist name."

A second-generation male immortal chuckled. "Yu Yuan, if Chang Geng says it's a Daoist name, then it is. Where is Nephew Wen Zhong? Why don't you invite him over to meet us?"

"I'll go fetch him," Yu Yuan said with a smile, but as he turned, he added, "A Daoist name and a given name are still somewhat different."

"Alright, alright, we know," the male immortal replied with a helpless expression.

Li Changshou smiled faintly at the remark and watched Yu Yuan walk away. When the Immortal Ascension Gate was attacked previously, Yu Yuan and Yu Hua, master and disciple, had taken the blame for Jie School due to the appearance of the Blood Transformation Divine Saber. Their loyalty to Jie School was beyond doubt, and they were also prominent figures on the Investiture of the Gods List.

However, it was the renowned Grand Tutor Wen who made Li Changshou even more eager.

Before long, Yu Hua arrived, riding a cloud from a corner of Biyou Palace, accompanied by a young Daoist. This Daoist possessed a naturally majestic face, a full forehead with a vertical eye in the center, short brows, large eyes, a prominent nose, and piercing gaze. His physique was also robust, giving him the natural bearing of a divine general.

Li Changshou carefully observed him with his immortal sense and discovered that Wen Zhong's vertical eye was likely an innate divine ability, unlike Yang Jian's, which was obtained from Ancestral Witch essence blood. Humanity was not entirely without bloodline power; the first batch of humans molded by Empress Nuwa possessed outstanding innate aptitudes and divine strength, and were also bestowed with certain divine abilities and skills by Empress Nuwa—such as his own Grand Archmage. However, by now, bloodline awakeners among humans were extremely rare, and Wen Zhong certainly deserved to be called a 'Heavenly Talent.'

Li Changshou and Yunxiao sat upright on the inner side of the main hall. Yu Hua led Wen Zhong inside, and both bowed in greeting before Li Changshou. It was clear that Wen Zhong was a bit nervous. He looked up, glanced at the rumored man, then immediately lowered his head and remained silent. This Heavenly Court Immortal Official, who could stir up the winds and clouds of the Great Desolation and directly confront six Saints... was so young?

"Excellent, excellent," Li Changshou said with a smiling nod, speaking slowly. "Nephew Wen Zhong, your aptitude is extraordinary. You've achieved such cultivation shortly after entering the sect. You're surely destined to be a great power in the future. Here, a small gift. Please accept it, Nephew."

As he spoke, Li Changshou took two treasure pouches from his sleeve. Inside them were spirit pills and miraculous medicines, all crafted by his own hand as a minor alchemist of the Human School. As a powerful Heavenly Court official whose alchemy techniques were firmly among the top three in the Human School, Li Changshou's gifts were naturally of high quality. Many Jie School disciples nearby looked on with envy. After Wen Zhong received the treasure pouches, his Dao heart became somewhat unsteady. He was a little excited.

Clearly, Li Changshou had become a formidable figure in the eyes of others. A single compliment or a small gesture of goodwill could affect the mindset of a great sect's disciple.

"Thank you, Uncle Chang Geng," Wen Zhong bowed again. "This disciple will certainly strive in cultivation and contribute to the prosperity of Jie School."

Li Changshou nodded with a smile, but secretly muttered to himself: 'You don't need to exert yourself too much. Just make sure that later, during the Investiture of the Gods Tribulation, you don't go seeking extraordinary experts to hold the fort, and simply avoid wandering around places like Golden Ao Island.' 'The tribulation's progression might even be disrupted then.'

Of course, this was just a fleeting thought; he wouldn't dare say it aloud. Everything had a script from the Heavenly Dao, and Li Changshou could only make minor adjustments.

Naturally, Li Changshou could not show favoritism towards Saint Mother Jin Ling's disciples. Immediately, he took another treasure pouch from his sleeve and handed it to Yu Hua, offering a few words of encouragement. Even though Li Changshou's age was but a fraction of Yu Hua's, he was earnestly playing the role of an elder, encouraging Yu Hua to cultivate diligently. Yu Hua, for his part, was receptive to the words, his eyes filled with gratitude. This caused Yunxiao, who was standing nearby, to nearly burst out laughing several times.

Li Changshou accompanied Yunxiao, visiting all the renowned Jie School dojos, both openly and discreetly. From Biyou Palace, they went to Golden Ao Island, then to Nine Dragon Island, Penglai Island, Yingzhou Island, and so on. They traveled at a leisurely pace, stopping to stay for a while in scenic locations, spending most of their time in such a manner.

After several days together, Li Changshou expressed his intention to leave, and Yunxiao, uncharacteristically, showed reluctance in her eyes. They exchanged a few parting words and bowed to each other. Despite no overly intimate gestures, they felt their primordial spirits had been incredibly close for a moment. Perhaps, relationships between Qi Refiners were quite different from those between mortals, especially the serious ones.

Stepping onto the cloud path back to the Heavenly Court, Li Changshou concealed his form and employed his signature paper effigy technique. After pondering for a moment, he decided not to privately meet Bo Jian. To be safe, it would be better to return to the Heavenly Court later and consult with His Majesty the Jade Emperor, claiming that Senior Emperor Xuanyuan had a request. The Jade Emperor should not refuse. There was an eighty percent chance that a clone of the Jade Emperor would accompany him.

Seeing Wen Zhong today, Li Changshou couldn't help but think of Li Jing, whom he had left behind at the Immortal Ascension Gate. Wen Zhong and Li Jing had many similarities. The former would become the Grand Tutor of Great Shang, while the latter would become the Chief General of Chen Tang Pass in Great Shang—a Chief General being equivalent to a regional governor. However, the paths these two chose were different. Wen Zhong chose to support the Great Shang dynasty, tirelessly campaigning east, west, south, and north to protect it, ultimately dying tragically during the conquest of Western Qi. Li Jing, on the other hand, was much more pragmatic. With Nezha ordered to assist the State of Zhou, Li Jing later sided with Zhou, eventually attaining a high position on the Investiture of the Gods List and enjoying a smooth ascent after entering the Heavenly Court. Li Changshou wasn't judging, but simply admired Wen Zhong more. Now, both Li Jing and Wen Zhong were considered his juniors, so speaking of who he respected more would be inappropriate.

The Great Investiture of the Gods Tribulation... Li Changshou carefully pondered what further arrangements he could make and what effects they might have at this time. Unseen, he was now engaging in a game with the Heavenly Dao and the Dao Ancestor, but this game was not about mutual confrontation or personal gain. More accurately, it was about optimizing the Great Tribulation. Later, he would dispatch paper effigies to tour various places, searching for the 'extraordinary individuals' who would later appear in the Shang Dynasty, to ascertain their origins. If there were any aspects that could be calculated and would benefit his future arrangements, Li Changshou certainly wouldn't let them go.

Flying on a cloud near the East Heaven Gate, Li Changshou revealed his disguised identity from earlier, just as he was about to pass by the gate. His immortal sense subtly quivered, and Li Changshou's ear twitched slightly. His Wind Whisper spell, operating 24/7 without blind spots, picked up a snippet of conversation between some Heavenly Generals...

"No one can say where that immortal mountain in Eastern Continent Divine Land came from. Many immortal sects have gone to see it and all agree it's a good blessed land, but unfortunately, it's been occupied by the group of demons who were driven to the Eastern Continent."

"Those demons who claim to be benevolent, I wonder if they're truly good-hearted."

"Lord Star God employed a divide-and-conquer strategy. Otherwise, our losses during the demon-clearing in the Northern Continent would have been much greater, so winning over a portion of the demons is reasonable. But a demon is a demon. How could they truly be benevolent?"

"If those demons truly establish themselves on that immortal mountain blessed land, it would be a real waste of a good cultivation spot..."

An immortal mountain? Li Changshou was somewhat confused, but subconsciously, he felt a certain concern about it. It seemed as if he had some vague premonition that this immortal mountain, mentioned by the Heavenly Generals, held a part of his own destiny. What was going on? Was it the tribulation's influence at play?

Li Changshou instantly activated his Void-Bright Dao Heart, pondering carefully as he walked towards the Heaven Gate, feigning as if nothing had happened. A contingent of paper effigies stationed near the Immortal Ascension Gate had already begun to move towards the edge of Eastern Continent Divine Land. Could it be Flower-Fruit Mountain, which he had secretly searched for years but found no trace of? A small flicker of anticipation stirred in Li Changshou's heart. His true body successfully returned to the Grand White Palace, heading straight for his own Little Qiong Peak, while he controlled the paper effigies to begin searching various locations with their immortal sense.

However, just as Li Changshou was following the demonic aura and spotted the cloud-shrouded, spirit-rich immortal mountain by the sea in the distance, Long Ji hastily arrived on a cloud, landing before the Grand White Palace, and scurried inside.

"Teacher! Please hurry and see! General Bian Zhuang trespassed into the Moon Palace and is about to be beaten to death by the Moon Maidens!"

Li Changshou: ... Why was it that upon hearing this news, his heart remained completely calm, without the slightest hint of surprise? But the Investiture of the Gods Tribulation hadn't even begun, and the Journey to the West Tribulation was already about to make its appearance? That didn't make sense; it shouldn't be happening. The mortal realm had not yet completed the 'Severing of Heaven and Earth' connection, the Great Shang dynasty was still flourishing, and the Great Tang dynasty was at least two or three millennia away. Furthermore, measured by the timeline of the Great Desolation, a gap of ten to eighteen thousand years between two tribulations was something Li Changshou could accept. This incident should not be the 'harassing Chang'e' event that led to Bian Zhuang's banishment to the mortal realm. That was right. Bian Zhuang's abilities were still far too weak; he hadn't even learned half of the Thirty-Six Heavenly Transformations. This was definitely not the time for him to be banished.

The paper effigies in Eastern Continent Divine Land temporarily halted and concealed themselves on the spot. Inside the Grand White Palace, the old immortal paper effigy emerged, a faint smile on his face, and slowly said to Long Ji: "No need to rush, tell me slowly. General Bian Zhuang is the Deputy Commander of the Heavenly River, a valuable aide to your master. The Moon Maidens of the Moon Palace are also considered my subordinates. They shouldn't be able to beat anyone to death."