Chapter 606: Shou's Counterattack, The First Strike Slams the Table

"Thank you for this, Immortal Maiden."

"How so? You helped Star Lord Taibai once, and now you've switched from calling him 'Star Lord' to 'Immortal Maiden'? Star Lord Taibai truly is..."

Half a day later, in Guanghan Palace on the Lunar Star.

Amidst the starlight, two figures walked slowly through a corner of Guanghan Palace.

Li Changshou, of course, maintained his appearance as the Grand White Venus Star Lord, while Chang'e remained as dignified and graceful as before.

Upon hearing Chang'e's slightly disgruntled remark, Li Changshou could only offer a somewhat awkward smile.

Chang'e said softly, "It was merely a small matter; Star Lord Taibai needn't dwell on it. I've inspected the formation; there's nothing wrong with its exterior. Bian Zhuang was indeed brought out from within."

She paused, a glimmer of light in her eyes. "Star Lord Taibai, you also understand the Six-Element Reversion Array?"

"No, I don't. It was purely a guess. I couldn't very well go and inspect the Moonbeam Pond myself," Li Changshou sighed. "The reason or how to defend oneself isn't important; what matters is who provides the defense and who speaks of such matters. Today, within the vast Heavenly Court, you were the only one who could save Bian Zhuang, Immortal Maiden."

Chang'e said, "Is this matter truly so serious? Even if he had such lustful intentions and the audacity to trespass into the Moonbeam Pond, couldn't Bian Zhuang's previous military merits compensate for this mistake?"

"If merits and demerits could truly cancel each other out, what would become of the Heavenly Court's rules? Merit is merit; demerit is demerit." Li Changshou sighed, his hands behind his back. "Those in power must not act on personal emotions. This is the Heavenly Dao's requirement for the Heavenly Court, though many immortals and gods simply don't perceive it. The Heavenly Court must maintain the Heavenly Dao's image of utmost impartiality and selflessness; only then will the Heavenly Dao grant the Heavenly Court great authority over the Three Realms. While today's incident is undoubtedly minor compared to the great affairs of heaven and earth, it exploits a weakness of the Heavenly Court: namely, the varying quality of immortals and gods themselves, and the prevalence of personal feelings. The schemer behind this has significant ambitions, possesses extremely clever tactics, and is quite difficult to deal with."

Chang'e nodded gently and smiled. "Chang'e doesn't quite understand the intricacies involved."

Li Changshou gestured for her to proceed. The two slowly walked into the lakeside pavilion where they had first met. Unbeknownst to Chang'e, Li Changshou had subtly taken the lead.

He asked, "Immortal Maiden, what do you think of Bian Zhuang's character?"

"If we don't discuss matters between men and women, he's acceptable." Chang'e's lips twitched slightly. "But... for such a self-indulgent matter, he can still articulate so many reasons. It truly leaves one at a loss for how to evaluate him. Regarding such generals, Star Lord, it's better to use them sparingly, lest your reputation be implicated by them."

Li Changshou smiled but said nothing, taking a seat with Chang'e. A jade rabbit scurried over, lowering its head to bring tea and pastries. Li Changshou and Chang'e maintained a tacit silence. Only after the jade rabbit left did they resume their conversation.

"Chang'e has something she doesn't understand. May I trouble you, Star Lord, to enlighten me?"

"Ask away, Immortal Maiden. I will consider my words and speak freely."

Chang'e asked, "Why did you insist that I only appear at the very end when you sent your message, Star Lord? Such an action might harm your reputation, leaving you with a name for being cold-hearted."

Li Changshou pondered for a moment; it wasn't an easy question to answer. He was actually waiting to see if the Heavenly Dao would bring about other changes, beyond his own arrangements, to save one of the protagonists of the Journey to the West tribulation. Unfortunately, Li Changshou ultimately waited in vain for any changes. The Heavenly Court immortals and gods were powerless, and Bian Zhuang, with his impulsive fervor, was about to confess... And his own arrangements seemed to be the Heavenly Dao's chosen method of salvation. It was quite subtle.

However, these were not matters he could discuss with Chang'e. Li Changshou could only say, "I took this opportunity to let that fellow Bian Zhuang suffer a bit, so he wouldn't continue to get conceited. People always need some pressure, otherwise they tend to get carried away. I hope this time he learns a lasting lesson. A bit of reputation means nothing to me; I never cared about such things. No matter how thoroughly you handle things, many people will still criticize you behind your back. That's determined by your position."

"It's just that..." Chang'e picked up her tea, frowning. "Bian Zhuang's gaze towards me in the High Heavens Palace at the end was truly somewhat repulsive."

"That's fine," Li Changshou said earnestly. "After this matter blows over, if necessary, I'll have Bian Zhuang kneel before Guanghan Palace... and acknowledge you as his foster mother. How about that?"

"Pfft! Cough, cough, cough!"

Chang'e, a dignified Grand Unity Golden Immortal, coughed violently while holding her tea, her face flushed, whether from anger or embarrassment was unclear. She shot Li Changshou a fierce glare, followed by a look full of resentment. She pouted, huffing, "Chang'e is not feeling well today. Star Lord, please come back another day! I won't see you out! Honestly!"

"Oh, Immortal Maiden..."

Li Changshou raised a hand, intending to stop her, but Chang'e turned and walked away, her figure vanishing into the side pavilion. He shook his head with a smile, dispelled the barrier around them, and departed gracefully on his cloud.

Half a day earlier.

Li Changshou, along with 300 Chang'e fairies, accompanied Duke Mu and the Old Man of the Moon as they escorted Bian Zhuang to the High Heavens Palace. The Jade Emperor personally presided over the trial. Chang'e vouched for Bian Zhuang, confirming he had been framed. However, the subsequent investigation reached a dead end: all the Chang'e fairies could prove they had not acted alone. At least two, possibly even several, of them were lying, but the matter could not be investigated openly with great fanfare. As Li Changshou had stated, if it was discovered that Bian Zhuang had been framed but the perpetrator couldn't be found, Bian Zhuang would still face severe punishment. However, this severe punishment was different from the previous one, which could have cost him his life.

The Jade Emperor decreed that Bian Zhuang's marital fate be forbidden by the Hall of Marriage for a thousand years. That is, he was not allowed to pursue romantic relationships for a millennium, as punishment for his negligence while drunk. Li Changshou added a supplement: Bian Zhuang was stripped of his position as Deputy Commander of the Heavenly River Naval Forces and confined to his residence for a hundred years. If he drank alcohol again within that century, he would be directly banished to the mortal realm.

Bian Zhuang's reaction to this...

To this...

"Heh heh heh, Immortal Maiden Chang'e, Lunar Star Lord, she just showed up like that."

In the subtly luxurious mansion, exuding an air of prosperity everywhere, Bian Zhuang sat at the end of a corridor, hugging a vermillion-painted stone pillar in front of him, his face flushed and eyes hazy. Beside him, Ao Yi, looking exasperated, cursed, "You've lost your official position, and you're still blabbering about 'Immortal Maiden'!"

Bian Zhuang chuckled, "Minor matter, minor matter."

Ling Zhuzi folded his arms and muttered, "This matter can't just be let go. We know someone framed Second Brother, yet we can't find results. How can we accept that?"

Bian Zhuang sighed contentedly, "If all schemes are like this, it's fine even if they happen a few more times, heh heh. The Immortal Maiden spoke up for me; who can I tell about this fortune?"

Ao Yi snorted, "It was clearly requested by Senior Brother Sect Master. In this Heavenly Court, anyone else who spoke up about this would be seen as trying to curry favor with Senior Brother Sect Master. Only Immortal Maiden Chang'e, with her reputation and status, could intervene and save you. Do you realize how much risk Senior Brother Sect Master took on in this? If Immortal Maiden Chang'e were to spread this matter and mock Senior Brother Sect Master a few times, Senior Brother Sect Master would be branded as someone who favors lustful demons. He might even be rumored to be a lustful fiend himself, with people saying you trespassed into the Moonbeam Pond under his instruction!"

"Well," Bian Zhuang rubbed his nose, "Star Lord is also the Chief Instructor of the Chang'e fairies; surely, he wouldn't spread it like that."

"Idle talk is fearsome," Ao Yi's lips twitched slightly.

Ling Zhuzi asked, a hint of indignation in his eyes: "Are we really just going to let this matter go? What about those Chang'e fairies? Why can't we continue the investigation? We can interrogate them one by one. If that doesn't work, we can lead them into dreams one by one and search their memories. We'll definitely find out who it was!"

Bian Zhuang whispered, "The Heavenly Court's Chang'e fairies are famous throughout the Three Realms. Stirring up trouble like that would be a huge mess."

Ling Zhuzi's face was full of helplessness. "Second Brother, are you still thinking about being chivalrous to women now?"

Ao Yi, however, said, "This matter indeed shouldn't be blown up. We'll suppress it openly, then investigate it secretly. Don't worry, Senior Brother Sect Master definitely won't let this go. Ling Zhu, don't be impulsive... Look at this guy, beaming with happiness. For him, this is probably the greatest blessing in disguise."

"Heh heh, Ao Yi still understands me best." Bian Zhuang hugged the vermillion-lacquered wooden pillar, chuckling in utter ecstasy. "Lunar Star Lord, I owe her my life. This favor, I won't be able to repay it in three lifetimes."

"It was Senior Brother Sect Master who saved you!"

"That's different. My life has long belonged to Star Lord."

"I'll go discuss it with Rabbit," Ling Zhuzi clenched his fist. "If we find out who framed Second Brother, we'll drag them off and beat them first!" With that, he turned and hurried away, leaving Bian Zhuang staring blankly for a moment.

Bian Zhuang snapped back to reality and shouted urgently: "No! Those are immortal maidens, Third Brother! Don't actually lay a hand on them!"

"Rest assured, if anything goes wrong, Senior Brother Sect Master will stop him," Ao Yi said, leaning against the side. "But this matter, it might really need Ling Zhuzi to investigate. He's a Chan School disciple, not a Heavenly Court immortal or god, and he's indifferent to women; the Heavenly Court knows his reputation for that."

"Alas," Bian Zhuang shook his head. "Youth doesn't appreciate what's good until it's too late; an elder's grief is in vain. Third Brother is still too young... To have the Lunar Star Lord speak in my defense today, this trip to the Heavenly Court was worth it."

Ao Yi rolled his eyes at him in exasperation, cursing, "You're beyond saving!"

"I will forever admire Immortal Maiden Chang'e!"

"Get lost! You still don't know how to restrain yourself, spouting your warped logic everywhere. Sooner or later, this kind of thing will ruin your future!"

"Minor matter, minor matter."

"I'll strike you down to the mortal realm!"

"Minor matter, minor matter."

"Except for your root of trouble!"

"Bah! At worst, it's just death!"

Who was behind this?

At Little Qiong Peak, in front of the alchemy lab.

Li Changshou increasingly enjoyed idly sitting in front of the door, gazing at the sky, the water, the clouds, and the celestial maidens. Perhaps it was his aging mindset, giving him the feeling of an old man.

In fact, the temporary conclusion of the matter with Bian Zhuang's punishment was also a suggestion he secretly gave to His Majesty the Jade Emperor. It was meant as a disciplinary measure for Bian Zhuang's usual careless words and actions.

When presiding over the case in the Moon Palace, Li Changshou initially could not entirely rule out the possibility that Bian Zhuang's own lustful desires were to blame. There was no way... You could always trust Bian Zhuang, except when it came to matters involving beautiful women. This time, had it not been for his somewhat amicable relationship with Immortal Maiden Chang'e, he truly would have found himself in a dilemma, forced to resort to backup plans like involving Old Lady Bian. But if anyone else had stepped forward, even with a thorough explanation, the effect would have been greatly diminished.

At that time, while sitting in the Moon Palace, after communicating with Chang'e and settling on the plan, Li Changshou had already begun to consider whether to investigate further and how. If this incident was the Western Sect's doing, then all would be well. But if it wasn't the Western Sect, how should he conclude the matter?

Indeed, the Western Sect was the most likely culprit, especially since Bian Zhuang had previously caused a scene and vomited blood at Spirit Mountain, making it entirely reasonable for Spirit Mountain to bear a grudge. Uh... He suddenly remembered that at the tail end of the Journey to the West tribulation, Bian Zhuang became an Altar Cleanser. He didn't even attain the Arhat fruit status. Could that be related to him offending Spirit Mountain earlier? No, that's not right. Spirit Mountain at that time was most likely not the same as Spirit Mountain now.

But thinking carefully, would the Western Sect truly dare to continue targeting the Heavenly Court at this time? Those two Sages were ruthless in achieving their goals, yet precisely because of their temperament and modus operandi, seeing only 'benefit' in their eyes, they would instead exercise restraint at this moment. If they continued to oppose the Heavenly Court, the Western Sect would lose its entire foundation. The rise of the Heavenly Court was a major trend. For the Heavenly Dao, its priority far surpassed the prosperity of the West. Those two venerable Sages should have understood this by now.

Considering it from another angle, the Heavenly Court had been stable for over a hundred years. Why was Bian Zhuang suddenly targeted?

Li Changshou pondered, and various options surfaced in his mind. These options interconnected, forming over a dozen possibilities. At this moment, it was best to use stillness to counter movement, and to adapt to all changes with an unchanging approach. If the framing of Bian Zhuang today was not Spirit Mountain's doing, then the matter would certainly not end here; the other party would definitely have further actions. Bian Zhuang himself had too many weaknesses; he was easily schemed against... If everything truly unfolded as he expected, the one who subsequently framed Bian Zhuang would likely reveal themselves. Then, it would be clear: targeting Bian Zhuang was simply to drag him, the Grand White Venus Star Lord, into the fray. The matter itself was minor, but the ambitions of the person behind it should be significant.

"Hmm?" Li Changshou frowned slightly, watching the scene of Ling Zhuzi rushing furiously towards the Lunar Star, and couldn't help but ponder. Never mind, it's fine to let him team up with the Jade Rabbit to intimidate those Chang'e fairies. As the Chief Instructor, he should also take a seat in the Moon Palace. But before that, he still needed to consult with His Majesty the Jade Emperor. This was a major affair for the Heavenly Court, and a rare one during these peaceful times. His Majesty the Jade Emperor was already rubbing his hands, eager to feel more involved in a story. As an influential minister, he naturally had to consider the Jade Emperor and arrange for him to be involved in this matter too.

Thus, three days later.

Li Changshou's paper effigy cheerfully appeared in the Moon Palace, settling into his usual spot. He set up a barbecue grill and sipped a pot of Jade Spring Ice Brew, feeling perfectly content. He chuckled: "Please don't mind me, everyone. I just suddenly remembered that His Majesty the Jade Emperor entrusted me with the position of Chief Instructor. The Heavenly Court is busy with various affairs, and I haven't been able to fulfill these duties, which fills me with guilt, deep guilt. Come now, let the music play on, let the dancing continue!" With that, Li Changshou flipped the skewers in front of him, his eyes narrowed in a light smile.

The Chang'e fairies in the hall showed no unusual reactions. They knew that Star Lord Taibai was here to intimidate those who had plotted against Bian Zhuang. Since it had been confirmed that someone had framed Bian Zhuang, Star Lord Taibai's gentle pressure, while still preserving their dignity, was already quite benevolent. These past few days, Ling Zhuzi and the Jade Rabbit had also been wandering around outside the Moon Palace, staring at every passing immortal maiden, which similarly put the maidens under a slight amount of pressure.

Li Changshou remained seated in the Moon Palace, and Ling Zhuzi and the Jade Rabbit kept circulating there for several months. Just as Li Changshou was secretly muttering to himself, wondering if this was truly the Western Sect's simple, deliberate retaliation, several immortal maidens in the Moon Palace showed unusual behavior, skipping dance practice twice in a row. These particular immortal maidens were among the dozen or so who had bathed on that day.

As expected... Li Changshou mused. He knew that if he issued an order to summon them for questioning, subsequent events could unfold in all sorts of unimaginable ways. It might even involve the Three Sects of Daoism, or the Queen Mother of the Jade Pond. But at this point, ignoring an obvious anomaly would be impossible to explain to the Heavenly Court's immortals and gods... Who exactly arranged this scheme? It was surprisingly difficult to counter, and completely unlike the Western Sect's usual style of operation.

Li Changshou suddenly thought of an old acquaintance: Lord of the Reincarnation Pagoda, Ksitigarbha. This was the first time Li Changshou felt so passive since his previous chess match with Ksitigarbha in the East Sea, where he was outmaneuvered by half a move. It wasn't yet time to break the stalemate. The waters were still murky; he couldn't see the bottom of the pond.

Li Changshou did not rush to act. He first thought through the consequences, formulating contingency plans and backup solutions for every possibility. Only then did he summon Ao Yi and, with a stern face, order him to invite the 'suspicious' Chang'e fairies for questioning. This investigation indeed led to a series of subsequent events.

Those 'invited' Chang'e fairies were brought to the Moon Palace. Under the watchful eyes of everyone, one immortal maiden couldn't withstand the pressure for more than three hours, her Dao heart collapsing. She then recounted the events of that day. Four individuals had been involved, secretly planning for half a year. They finally found an opportunity to abduct the drunk Bian Zhuang midway and place him by the Moonbeam Pond. One mastermind, three accomplices. The mastermind was precisely the immortal maiden who, on that day, had declared that had she not known Bian Zhuang was Star Lord Taibai's right-hand man, she would have killed him with a single sword stroke.

Li Changshou leniently punished the three accomplices with only a century of confinement. Afterwards, Li Changshou intended to let the matter subside, stating that the mastermind had an old grudge with Bian Zhuang, making it an act of personal retaliation. He aimed to downplay the incident and resolve it quietly. Unexpectedly, many Chang'e fairies, brimming with a sense of justice, stepped forward to vehemently denounce the mastermind. They declared that she had ruined the Moon Palace's reputation and demanded her removal from the Chang'e registry. The woman quickly broke down, crying out: "I had no choice! They seized my sister's family as leverage and forced me to do this!"

Li Changshou: "..."

This twist was not at all unexpected by him. At this point, more than half of the dozen or so possibilities in his mind had vanished, leaving only a few conjectures leading to the true answer.

Li Changshou said slowly, "Immortal Maidens, don't be alarmed. Let this Star Lord ask... Who are 'they' you speak of?" The mastermind was utterly distraught, tears streaming from her eyes. She was so charmingly pitiful, truly evoking sympathy. She murmured softly: "I don't know who they were. The last time I went home to visit my family, they apprehended me. My sister's whole family is in their hands. It's just that I heard them say one thing, one thing... Your Excellency, I dare not say. Just punish me severely, please have great compassion and help save my sister's family."

"Just tell me," Li Changshou said gently. "If your sister's family is truly being held hostage, the Heavenly Court will certainly not ignore it."

"Thank you, Your Excellency, thank you, Your Excellency. I overheard them inadvertently say that this time, they definitely wanted to create a rift between you and Immortal Maiden Chang'e, so that Immortal Maiden Chang'e, the most beautiful woman in the Three Realms, wouldn't ruin their Senior Sister Yun Xiao's... good marriage."

A Jie School immortal? This was merely the superficial answer.

Li Changshou did not rush. Instead, he felt a sense of relief in his heart; half of the truth had already come to light. However, he had already walked down the path designed by the other party long enough. To continue being led by the nose would be a misstep. The schemer behind this wanted to blow things up? Then he would thoroughly blow them up. If the other party wanted the Three Sects of Daoism to erupt in conflict, then he would let the Three Sects clash, making the situation so 'big' that the other party couldn't bear it. They schemed and schemed, and their schemes reached Yun Xiao. Did they truly believe he only knew how to be meticulous and wouldn't dare overturn the table?

Steady himself. Void-Clarity Dao Heart, activated.

Li Changshou quickly performed an introspection, checking if he had been affected by the tribulation. Finding no trace of Heavenly Dao power, he knew that this was not the Heavenly Dao initiating the Investiture of the Gods Tribulation prematurely. Eight chances out of ten, someone was impatient and wanted to trigger the great tribulation prematurely.

Below, a Chang'e leader asked, "Star Lord, how should this matter be handled?"

"Send her to the High Heavens Palace," Li Changshou said. "This matter concerns Yun Xiao, and Yun Xiao is my Dao companion, so it's inappropriate for me to continue to preside. I will go and rescue this Chang'e fairy's family. Please relay my message to His Majesty. This matter must be investigated thoroughly, without stopping, no matter who is implicated. The Heavenly Court's dignity must not be compromised. I'd like to see who dares to challenge the Heavenly Court, challenge the Heavenly Dao, and challenge Zixiao Palace!"

With that, Li Changshou rose, swept his sleeves, and departed. Seemingly calm, he was in fact fuming with rage, leaving behind a group of Chang'e fairies wide-eyed and anxious. They were merely dancers; how could they withstand such wrath from the Star Lord?

Li Changshou emerged from the Moon Palace and headed directly out of the Lunar Star on his cloud, his face as black as the bottom of a pot. A streak of light flew in from the side, transforming into the shadowy figure of Golden Winged Great Peng. It approached Li Changshou and whispered, "Teacher, a small matter."

"What is it?"

"Old Lady Bian sent people with three hundred beautiful maidens, who are currently waiting outside the East Heaven Gate," Golden Winged Great Peng's lips twitched. "According to the Bian family's messenger, their young master has never suffered such humiliation. Old Lady Bian is quite upset about this matter, but she also knows the Heavenly Court's rules. These three hundred maidens will enter Bian Zhuang's residence, where they'll simply excavate a treasure pond to bathe in daily and won't go out much."

Li Changshou was dumbfounded, then chuckled: "This old lady truly has a way about her. Go and scold the Bian family's messengers a few times, but don't be too harsh." Then, Li Changshou sent a voice transmission: "You are to act covertly later. I will go investigate one of the Chang'e fairy's families, and I will deliberately slow my pace to give you a head start. Go and see if you can rescue this family. If you can save them, protect them well and bring them directly back to the Heavenly Court. If they cannot be saved, and you find only their corpses, cremate them and destroy all traces. Leave not a single mark. Do not ask why."

"Understood!" Golden Winged Great Peng replied via voice transmission, then cupped his hands with a smile. "Teacher, rest assured, I know what I'm doing and won't let the Bian family feel too wronged." With that, Golden Winged Great Peng turned and vanished.

Li Changshou narrowed his eyes. His paper effigy continued to maintain a stern expression as it returned to the Grand White Palace. He was an expert at making an issue out of a situation.